Farmer in Quang Chu commune, Vietnam

Le Thi Luan is taking a bowl of freshly prepared biochar to her smallholding in Quang Chu commune. She is one of 35 farmers in Vietnam’s Bac Kan province to be trained in its use as an organic alternative to chemical fertilisers, as part of the Biochar for Sustainable Soils project. The three-year research and knowledge dissemination project, funded by the Global Environment Facility, aims to promote biochar’s ability to help the soil retain nutrients and water. Luan learnt to produce biochar at home and applying it to her crops has had great results.