Abstract
Biochar is a carbon-rich product from pyrolysis of biomass at relatively low temperatures in a closed system with limited oxygen. The product has been shown to have economic and environmental benefits, ranging from improved soil moisture retention for carbon sequestration, reduced pollution and dependence on inorganic fertilizers. Additionally, biochar can be produced on-farm by small scale farmers using locally made stoves as well as on industrial scale in bioenergy plants. Chinese government is fast tracking commercial production of biochar based fertilizers from pyrolysis of crop straw. However, most of the work on biochar is confined to universities and other research institutions mainly through field trials. Yet, without understanding of farmers’ roles as the main stakeholders in generation and use of this innovation, use of biochar is unlikely to be effective. Using survey data collected in the Henan region, Central China where major biochar industries are located, this study assesses farmers’ perspectives and adoption decisions on the use of biochar in agricultural production. A binary logit model is used to analyze the factors influencing biochar adoption. Higher probabilities of adopting biochar are observed among farmers with more contact with extension officers and other sources of information, higher levels of education, credit access and those belonging to farmers’ groups. Furthermore, the perceived positive aspects of biochar increased the probability of biochar adoption. These results strongly suggest that, government interventions in these areas are needed to realize the full potential of biochar production and use by farmers’. Key words: Biochar adoption, logit model, smallholder farmers’, agriculture, China.
Highlights
As China strives to ensure sustainable food production for the increasing population, it is faced with the challenge of reducing land degradation and greenhouse gas emissions of which agriculture is a major contributor (Chen and Zhang, 2010)
As expected biochar adoption is influenced by farmer‘s formal education, farm size, contact with extension services, frequency of gathering information, access to credit, farmers associations, perceptions that biochar is beneficial, and information seeking attitudes
Off farm income had no influence on biochar adoption
Summary
As China strives to ensure sustainable food production for the increasing population, it is faced with the challenge of reducing land degradation and greenhouse gas emissions of which agriculture is a major contributor (Chen and Zhang, 2010). Chinese farming is characterized by higher yielding, greater external-inputs and agricultural technologies which have played a considerable food production (Kibue et al, 2014; Tong et al, 2003).
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