TY - JOUR
T1 - From rhetoric to reality: farmer perspectives on the economic potential of biochar in China
AU - Clare, Abbie
AU - Barnes, Andrew
AU - Mcdonagh, John
AU - Shackley, Simon
PY - 2014/10/2
Y1 - 2014/10/2
N2 - Biochar has garnered much attention for its potential to improve farming productivity and sustainability by amending soil, enhancing crop yields, improving fertilizer use efficiency and sequestering carbon. However, few publications consider farmer perspectives on whether biochar is attractive as an agricultural input. This paper therefore investigates the micro-economics and social suitability of biochar in four contrasting Chinese agricultural systems, using linear optimization models and qualitative contextual data. Results demonstrate that commercially produced biochar is uneconomic as an independent farming input, whilst farm-produced biochar shows promise in just one of four case-study sites. This suggests that biochar research in China should shift away from on-farm production and application of pure biochar, towards combined biochar-inorganic fertilizer products.
AB - Biochar has garnered much attention for its potential to improve farming productivity and sustainability by amending soil, enhancing crop yields, improving fertilizer use efficiency and sequestering carbon. However, few publications consider farmer perspectives on whether biochar is attractive as an agricultural input. This paper therefore investigates the micro-economics and social suitability of biochar in four contrasting Chinese agricultural systems, using linear optimization models and qualitative contextual data. Results demonstrate that commercially produced biochar is uneconomic as an independent farming input, whilst farm-produced biochar shows promise in just one of four case-study sites. This suggests that biochar research in China should shift away from on-farm production and application of pure biochar, towards combined biochar-inorganic fertilizer products.
U2 - 10.1080/14735903.2014.927711
DO - 10.1080/14735903.2014.927711
M3 - Article
SN - 1473-5903
VL - 12
SP - 440
EP - 458
JO - International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
JF - International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
IS - 4
ER -