1 Challenge & Opportunity

Global soil degradation is advancing at ~1 million km² per year, roughly the size of Egypt, now impacting ~15 million km², degrading fertility, impeding carbon sequestration, and threatening food security.

Depleted organic matter and nutrient loss, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, have led to yield declines, erosion, and rising costs for inputs like fertilizer. Urgent interventions are needed to reverse degradation, rebuild fertility, and stabilize.

2 Solution: Biochar & Biomass Waste Management

Biochar is a stable, porous, carbon-rich material produced via pyrolysis of biomass waste. It enhances soil aeration, water retention, nutrient holding capacity (CEC), and pH buffering. It also represents circular waste management, turning agricultural residues into valuable soil amendments, and contributes to carbon sequestration.

3 Evidence & Impact

Biochars effectiveness varies by soil type, feedstock, and climate, but the results are consistently positive. Below is a synthesis of meta-analysis findings from 50+ studies covering different regions and crops:

META-ANALYSIS OF BIOCHAR IMPACTS ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND CROP YIELS

4 ARTi’s R&D Services Supporting Key Soil Health

and Food Security with Biochar Applications

Degraded arid/semi-arid soils

R&D Service:
Biochar Production & Lab Characterization with Soil & Agronomic Trials for moisture retention

Biomass-rich agricultural systems

R&D Service:
Biomass Flow & Throughput Analysis with BPU Engineering for residue conversion
The following stakeholders can obtain the following benefits:

Smallholders & cooperatives →
Soil & Agronomic Trials with Basic Feasibility Assessment
Industrial/regenerative agriculture →
BPU Engineering & Operations Support with Safety Compliance.
Municipal/industrial waste managers →
Biomass Flow & Throughput Analysis with TEA & LCA

5. Barriers & Mitigation

Cost & Access to Pyrolysis Technology:

How we solve it:

Use decentralized, modular production units and provide training to enable local biochar production.

Soil-Feedstock Specificity:

How we solve it:

Conduct feedstock characterization to ensure compatibility and prevent over-application.

Scaling Beyond Pilot Project:

How we solve it:

Align with policy incentives, carbon credit mechanisms, and circular waste strategies.

6. Call to Action

Partner with ARTi to pilot biochar-based soil regeneration in your target region. Let's combine technical rigor, circular biomass approach, and market readiness to deliver higher yields, healthier soils, and climate-smart solutions.

Next steps:

Choose your segment, smallholder, industrial, or municipal and we'll tailor a proposal for trial designs and impact measurement.

REFERENCES

FAO. (2023). The Status of the World’s Soil Resources. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/highlights/detail/en/c/1270942/

Glaser, B., Lehmann, J., & Zech, W. (2002). Ameliorating physical and chemical properties of highly weathered soils in the tropics with charcoal – a review. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 35, 219–230.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-002-0466-4

Jeffery, S., Verheijen, F. G. A., van der Velde, M., & Bastos, A. C. (2011). A quantitative review of the effects of biochar application to soils on crop productivity using meta-analysis. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 144(1), 175–187.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2011.08.015

Laird, D. A., Brown, R. C., Amonette, J. E., & Lehmann, J. (2009). Review of the pyrolysis platform for coproducing bio-oil and biochar. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, 3(5), 547–562.
https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.169

Lehmann, J., & Joseph, S. (2015). Biochar for Environmental Management: Science, Technology and Implementation (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Schmidt, H. P., Hagemann, N., Draper, K., & Kammann, C. (2019). The use of biochar in animal farming. IBI Biochar White Paper.
https://www.biochar-international.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Biochar-Animal-Farming.pdf

Woolf, D., Amonette, J. E., Street-Perrott, F. A., Lehmann, J., & Joseph, S. (2010). Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change. Nature Communications, 1, Article 56.
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1053

Yeboah, S., Zhang, R., Cai, L., et al. (2019). Biochar addition in soil modifies the dynamics of soil nutrients and improves yield and quality of tomato: A meta-analysis. Scientia Horticulturae, 246, 61–73.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.10.058