International Biochar Initiative
I B I
Biochar Is a Valuable Soil Amendment
Biochar is a fine-grained, highly porous charcoal that helps
soils retain nutrients and water.
Biochar is found in soils around the world as a result of vegetation fires and historic...
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International Biochar Initiative
I B I
Biochar Is a Valuable Soil Amendment
Biochar is a fine-grained, highly porous charcoal that helps
soils retain nutrients and water.
Biochar is found in soils around the world as a result of vegetation fires and historic soil management practices.
Intensive
study of biochar-rich dark earths in the Amazon (terra preta),
has led to a wider appreciation of biochar’s unique properties
as a soil conditioner.
Biochar can be an important tool to increase sustainable food
production in areas with severely depleted soils, scarce organic resources, and inadequate water and chemical fertilizer supplies.
Biochar also improves water quality
and quantity by increasing soil retention of nutrients and agrochemicals for
plant and crop utilization.
More nutrients stay in the soil instead of leaching
into groundwater and causing pollution.
Field trials in Colombia demonstrate the longevity of biochar added to soil.
Above: Jatropha seedlings
grown without and wit
Less