Farming smarter with biochar

Meet Olivanter Mwatika, a farmer from Taita Taveta, Kenya, who has transformed her farm and family’s wellbeing through sustainable farming. Olivanter embarked on this journey in 2024, after being introduced to a biochar project by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) in partnership with Farm Africa.

As part of the project, Olivanter was trained on how to use a heat process to recycle waste products from macadamias, coconut shells and cashew nuts into biochar, a charcoal-like material that promotes environmental conservation and enhances agricultural productivity.

Olivanter learnt how biochar helps to maintain moisture in the soil, which reduces the risks of soil erosion. “We were taught how biochar helps in maintaining soil moisture, so we don’t experience soil erosion,” she recalls. She also learnt to adopt minimum soil tillage, which prevents rainwater from washing away valuable topsoil.

In her first round of using biochar, Olivanter tested three treatments on her maize and beans crops: biochar alone, biochar with manure and biochar with fertiliser.

“We realised that biochar can work alone in fertile soil, but if the soil isn’t very fertile, you can use biochar with manure or fertiliser,” she explains. This trial helped her understand the optimal combination for her farm’s needs.

Olivanter Mwatika holding maize from her biochar farm.

Over two seasons, Olivanter used biochar on her crops and saw a marked improvement in her maize harvest.

“I harvested 16 kg from the farm with biochar and manure, 12 kg from the farm with manure and seven kg from the farm that did not have manure or biochar in the first season. In the second season, I harvested 40 kg from the farm with biochar and manure, 30 kg from the farm with manure and 10 kg from the control farm,” she says.

Thanks to this success, Olivanter is optimistic about the second season.

Having learnt to keep proper records of her farming process, Olivanter now tracks her spending and inputs carefully, making sure every penny counts. And she has noted that Biochar has not only improved her yields, but helped her save money too.

“I would spend 2,800 Kenyan shillings (KSh) a month buying maize, but now I only spend 400 KSh,” Olivanter shares.

The savings have had a direct impact on her family’s wellbeing, as she uses the extra money for her children’s school fees and school supplies. “It has really helped me, especially since I used to do side jobs to get money to cater for those costs,” she says.

Beyond the financial benefits, Olivanter is proud of the environmental impact biochar has had on her farm.

“People come over and wonder why my maize is doing so well, despite the hot weather. I train them on the importance of biochar, but they don’t always have it, so it’s hard for them to implement,” she notes.

Olivanter believes that biochar is a game changer, especially for young people who are considering farming as a career option.

Olivanter’s story is one of success, perseverance and commitment to both environmental and personal wellbeing. By embracing innovative farming techniques like biochar, she has not only improved her yields and income, but also become a role model for others in her community.

Through her experience, Olivanter hopes to inspire others, especially young people, to take a chance on agriculture and reap the rewards of sustainable farming.