AGRICULTURE remains the backbone of Bangladesh鈥檚 economy and food security. Yet today, farmers across the country are grappling with worsening challenges 鈥� depleted soil fertility, rising fertiliser costs and the unpredictable impacts of climate change. These mounting pressures not only threaten crop yields but also the livelihoods of millions. Meanwhile, carbon emissions continue to accelerate global warming, fuelling extreme weather events and deepening the climate crisis.
In response, scientists and environmentalists are turning to an age-old solution with modern promise: biochar. This black, carbon-rich substance, once used by ancient civilisations, is now gaining renewed attention for its ability to enrich soil, retain nutrients, store carbon and support climate resilience. As Bangladesh searches for sustainable strategies to secure its agricultural future, biochar is emerging as a powerful tool in the fight against both food insecurity and environmental degradation.
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What is Biochar?
BIOCHAR is a type of charcoal made by heating organic materials like crop waste, wood, or cow dung at high temperatures without oxygen. This process is called pyrolysis. Unlike ash or fully burnt charcoal, biochar is stable and does not break down easily. When added to soil, biochar locks away carbon for hundreds to thousands of years. This is called carbon sequestration 鈥� a natural way to take carbon dioxide out of the air and store it safely in the ground.
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Carbon sequestration matters
CARBON dioxide is the main gas causing global warming. Normally, when plant waste rots or is burned, it releases CO鈧� back into the atmosphere. But turning that waste into biochar and burying it in soil prevents the carbon from returning to the air. Scientists estimate that 1 tonne of biochar can remove up to 3 tonnes of CO鈧�-equivalent gases from the atmosphere. If used widely, biochar could help meet Bangladesh鈥檚 climate targets under the Paris Agreement.
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Climate Benefits
BIOCHAR helps the environment in three powerful ways:
Biochar is 50鈥�70 per cent pure carbon. Once added to soil, it stays stable for hundreds of years. This locks up carbon that would otherwise enter the air as CO鈧�.
Soil microbes produce methane and nitrous oxide, two gases that are even stronger than CO鈧�. Biochar reduces the production of these gases by changing the soil鈥檚 chemistry and moisture levels.
By improving nutrient efficiency, biochar reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, which are responsible for large emissions of N鈧侽 during production and use. Nitrous oxide is 298 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in trapping heat. Using biochar can reduce this gas from farm soil by up to 50 per cent.
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Local context
BANGLADESH faces both soil degradation and climate change. Biochar offers a solution to both. Biochar improves soil texture, boosts microbial activity and holds more water 鈥� important during dry spells or floods. In trials across Bangladesh, adding biochar to rice, maize and vegetable fields increased yields by 10鈥�25 per cent, especially when mixed with compost or manure. Biochar absorbs excess fertilisers and prevents them from polluting rivers and ponds. It helps reduce eutrophication, a problem that kills fish and harms human health. Farmers often burn crop waste, releasing smoke and CO鈧�. Turning that waste into biochar stops this pollution and provides value instead of harm. If biochar projects are certified under global carbon markets, farmers could earn money by storing carbon in the soil.
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Local research, innovation听
BANGLADESH is steadily emerging as a regional leader in biochar research and innovation, thanks to the efforts of its universities, research institutions and development organisations. Institutions such as Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council and Soil Resource Development Institute have been conducting field trials and laboratory studies to evaluate the effectiveness of biochar on various types of soil and crops across agro-ecological zones, including Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barisal.
Scientists are experimenting with diverse biomass feedstocks that are locally abundant and often treated as waste, such as rice husks, jute sticks, sugarcane bagasse, coconut shells, cow dung and even poultry litter. Each feedstock produces biochar with distinct physical and chemical characteristics. For example, jute stick biochar has shown high water retention capacity, while rice husk biochar is rich in silica, making it effective for improving soil aeration and pest resistance.
Beyond the laboratory, there is also growing interest in making biochar technology accessible to rural communities. Local innovators and NGOs are developing affordable and portable pyrolysis kilns, including drum kilns and top-lit updraft stoves, that can be used on small farms without electricity or complex machinery. Some organisations are piloting mobile biochar production units mounted on rickshaw vans or small trailers, allowing producers to move from farm to farm to convert agricultural waste into biochar directly in the field.
These innovations not only promote circular economy practices by turning waste into a valuable resource but also support the government鈥檚 goals for climate-smart agriculture. Biochar projects are also being included in climate mitigation strategies under the Nationally Determined Contributions and are gaining attention for their potential in carbon credit programmes.
However, it is important to recognise that biochar is not inherently climate-positive in all circumstances. If the biomass feedstock is derived from unsustainable sources, such as freshly cut timber or land cleared of native vegetation, the carbon savings can quickly be offset by the emissions involved in harvesting and transportation. Likewise, if pyrolysis is powered by fossil fuels instead of renewable energy or low-emission biomass, the overall impact on emissions may be negligible or even negative. For biochar to deliver its full climate benefits, it must rely on agricultural and organic residues that would otherwise decompose or be burned, and the production process must be low-carbon and locally adapted.
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Future direction听
TO MAKE biochar a useful and climate-smart farming solution across Bangladesh, we need a clear and simple plan. First, the government should include biochar in national climate policies like the National Adaptation Plan and Nationally Determined Contributions because it can reduce carbon in the air and improve soil health. Farmers need training through workshops and field demonstrations to learn how to make and use biochar properly. Young people can also get involved by starting small green businesses around biochar. In villages, small local centres can be set up to collect crop waste and turn it into biochar for nearby farms. To grow these efforts, Bangladesh can apply for support from global funds like the Green Climate Fund and the Voluntary Carbon Market, which can provide money in exchange for reducing carbon emissions. Lastly, universities, NGOs and research centres should keep studying how biochar works in different soils, crops and weather conditions to make sure it gives the best results.
Biochar is not a new invention. It was used over 2,000 years ago by Amazonian tribes who turned forest waste into 鈥榯erra preta鈥� or black earth 鈥� soil that is still fertile today. Now, this ancient technique can help Bangladesh reduce carbon pollution, improve soil fertility and make farming more resilient to climate change. Biochar is more than just a farming tool 鈥� it is a carbon solution buried beneath our feet.
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Arghya Protik Chowdhury is a student of environmental science at the Bangladesh University of Professionals.
