New Delhi: In northern India, air pollution has always been an enormous challenge, and one of its largest contributors has been the burning of stubble. This has an impact on not only air quality but also public health and economic factors since the costs associated with stubble burning in North India are estimated to be around $30 billion per year.
Today, as we enter 2025, India is yet to find a solution that solves this problem. When we at Project Vichar under Enactus Lady Shri Ram College for Women, could not stand by and watch the fields turn to ash!
Enactus is a worldwide network of leaders in over 33 countries and 110 colleges in India alone committed to using business as a catalyst for positive social, economic, and environmental impact. We educate, inspire, and support people to use innovation and entrepreneurship to solve the world’s biggest problems.
After conducting research on different products and technologies that might contribute to solving this problem, we came across Biochar. Famously called carbon gold, Biochar improves soil fertility, increases crop yield, enhances water retention, reduces soil acidity, and carbon sequestration for combating climate change. And this discovery then leads us down the eye-opening rabbit hole- that is the properties and effectiveness of Biochar.
Biochar is produced through the process of thermal decomposition of organic materials in an oxygen-free environment under the temperature range of 250−900 °C. Various types of reactors such as paddle kilns, bubbling fluidized beds, wagon reactors and agitated sand rotating kilns are used for biochar production. The biochar yield during the pyrolysis process depends on the type and nature of biomass used.
The pilot run of our biochar in collaboration with Assomac Machines, Ghaziabad marked a significant step in evaluating its effectiveness and scalability. Through our partnership with Edible Routes, an organic farm in Chattarpur, initial trials were performed on Radish and Spinach. We witnessed promising results, including improved soil fertility, better moisture retention, and enhanced plant growth. This pilot phase not only provided valuable data but also helped establish connections with local farming communities, paving the way for broader implementation. Shri Ram Institute for Industrial Research has also been an instrumental partner in testing and refining the machinery used for biochar production. Biochar is a multi-purpose powerhouse. Here’s what it can do for nurseries, farmers, and the environment:
Improves Soil Fertility – Enhances soil structure, balances pH, and boosts nutrient absorption for healthier plants.
Increases Crop Yields – Supports stronger root systems and improves growth cycles, leading to higher productivity.
Enhances Water Retention – Reduces irrigation needs by holding moisture in the soil, especially in drought-prone areas.
Absorbs Pollutants – Captures heavy metals and toxins, restoring soil health and making it safer for planting.
Long-Lasting Effects – Unlike compost, biochar remains in the soil for hundreds of years, offering long-term stability.
At Project Vichar, we have achieved several milestones – we were among the Top 19 teams at the Enactus Nationals Exposition, 2024. We have received funding of INR 1 lakh from C&S Electric, under their CSR initiative. Moreover, we secured INR 20,000 from Taco Bell Ambition Accelerator, emerging as the Top 200 Global Semi-Finalist among 825+ applicants.
In other countries such as Bhutan, China, Brazil, and Spain, Biochar has been under usage for years and has played a huge role in improving their air quality and public health. In North India, Biochar has the potential to positively impact 75.8 million hectares of farmland and over 32.094 million small farmers, increasing crop yields by more than 10%. It can reuse 234 million tons of crop residue, reduced nitrogen emissions by 35%, and revived 146 million hectares of degraded land, promoting sustainable agriculture and environmental restoration.
With a team of 14 ingenious minds, an advisory board of renowned scientists like Dr Karve, Dr Kaushal and Dr Patel and valuable collaborators, we aim to tackle 9 of the 17 SDGs. And this is just the beginning. At Enactus, we’re pioneering a revolutionary idea—harnessing the transformative power of biochar to catalyze a sustainable agricultural ecosystem. Biochar has the potential to transform the agriculture sector, promote soil health, reduce pollution, and foster a cleaner, greener and more sustainable India.
We invite you to join hands with us, experience the biochar difference, and redefine your perception of sustainable agriculture. Together, let’s forge a new India – an India in which soil health thrives, AQI reduces and agriculture is transformed forever!
Apurva Champaka: A Perfume Tree
Enugula Naveen1, Dr. G. Thanuja sivaram2 and Vadada vinay kumar3
1 MSc. scholar, Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Crops
2 Senior scientist, Dr. YSRHU-CRS, Tirupathi
3 Ph. D (Hort.), Department of vegetable science
Dr. YSR Horticultural University, College of Horticulture, Anantharajupeta
