Biochar Implementation at World Scales: Developing and Emerging Countries.

Developing and emerging economies have lower human development relative to those in developed countries, which is mostly associated to low standards of living, growing population and less developed economics with agriculture as most important economic sector. Thus, agricultural growth may promote poverty reduction in developing countries where large proportion of workforce is involved in agricultural sector. Moreover, an increasing food demand in the forthcoming decades and responding to climate changes requires modified agricultural land-use and soil management systems. In emerging economies, urban population is increasing rapidly, and waste disposal (wastewater, biosolids, organic urban residues) is becoming an important challenge. In both scenarios use of biochar may improve crop productivity by disposing organic waste, and sequestering carbon. However, biochar stability and performances are not easy to predict due to complex interaction with soil compounds and effects of ecological factors. Therefore, this presentation addresses to 1) soil properties and ecological factors that affect biochar performance in most developing countries, 2) modified biochars that are adapted to environmental conditions and purposes and 3) need to distribute knowledge to end users. In relation to these three points on-going biochar project from Peru and Mexico (i.e. low-pollution formation, modification, and field/pot experiments) will be presented. In this way biochar can contribute to agricultural growth and thus poverty reduction in developing countries due to improved productivity while managing soil carbon stocks.