To ensure the food security of +1.4Bn Indians, farmers in India practice multiple cropping cycles and need to clear their fields of crop-residue ‘stubble’ before the next crop plantation. The quickest and most effective way is to simply burn it on the field, leading to +27Mn tonnes of stubble being burnt annually in the north Indian states of Punjab and Haryana alone.
While the auspicious nature of lighting fire makes this a culturally accepted practice in India, stubble-burning emits +160 Mn tonnes of greenhouse gasses; choking the entire north India with pollution.
Farmers get blamed despite their helplessness.
After stubble burning, the next crop they sow is potatoes. As their largest partner with 27000 farmers, it became our role to assist the farmer and ensure that our sourcing and supply are done sustainably, and not at the cost of the soil, climate or people who are associated with making it.

Idea
Lighting fire is auspicious in Indian culture, so we couldn’t stop stubble burning. But we could burn it the right way.
We found inspiration in the Indian Tandoor and partnered with Punjab Agricultural University to build a new design of an earthen kiln for controlled burning of stubble. Closed from the top, it has holes on the sides. Because of the heat, air expands and exits through the small holes with high pressure, which significantly reduces the amount of oxygen coming in.
Reduced oxygen leads to incomplete combustion of stubble which creates Biochar instead of ash. Biochar is a charred, carbon-rich soil amendment that not only remediates stubble burning but also redresses its impact.
The Biochar Project is not only a sustainable answer for stubble burning but is also an exceptionally viable soil conditioner directly influencing soil carbon, soil quality, crop production and food security, promoting economic and climatic benefits.