Biochar & Rock Dust: Unlocking The Future Of Climate-Smart Agriculture - CleanTechnica

The article discusses the growing interest in two nature-based technologies—Biochar Carbon Removal (BCR) and Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)—as promising solutions to decarbonize food systems while delivering multiple agronomic and socio-economic benefits. A new report titled “Unlocking the Future of Climate-Smart Agriculture,” led by Tom Mills, provides a comprehensive analysis of how these technologies can be integrated into agricultural supply chains, particularly in the Global South. The report estimates that BCR and ERW could collectively remove between 1.5 and 2.5 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually by 2050, while also improving soil fertility, increasing crop yields, and enhancing farmer resilience against climate shocks. Although biochar is more mature and closer to widespread deployment than ERW, pilot projects are already underway in various regions, demonstrating practical applications across key agricultural value chains such as coffee, cocoa, rice, and sugarcane. Examples include regenerative coffee initiatives in Colombia using biochar and early