September 2026
The project “Agriculture – Climate Protection and Climate Adaptation with Biochar,” funded by the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) and the Canton of Aargau, investigates various potential uses of biochar in agriculture.
Among other aspects, the project examines biochar quality, its use in animal feed and farmyard manure, as well as its potential effects on methane and ammonia emissions.
The first results have now been published, revealing significant differences in quality between different production methods. Industrially produced biochar which is certified according to EBC AgroBio or EBC FutterPlus fully met the requirements of the current fertilizer regulations. By contrast, samples from small-scale and self-built production showed elevated levels of contaminants in some cases. The greatest variation was found among self-built units, ranging from high-quality biochar which are compliant with fertilizer regulations to very poor-quality biochar, in some cases significantly exceeding contaminant limits.
The project also indicates strong interest and a corresponding need among farmers to have the quality of their self-produced biochar tested. Easily accessible testing services could help in order to ensure biochar quality and identify low-quality products at an early stage.
Further results from the research will be published on an ongoing basis.
More information: FiBL Forschungsprojekt „Landwirtschaft – Klimaschutz und Klimaanpassung mit Pflanzenkohle“