Source: Biomass and Bioenergy
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/biombioe  (165, 2022)

Soil erosion, starvation, livelihood protection, energy shortages, and environmental pollution are major concerns in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Biochar has become an issue of international concern, but little research has investigated biochar’s capacity to alleviate SSA challenges. This review defines and evaluates biochar’s ability and constraints in SSA by undertaking a case study in Cote d’Ivoire. The specific goals were to (1) describe and assess biochar feedstocks; (2) conduct an overview of the literature on biochar production technology; (3) explore its potential uses in agriculture, energy, and environmental remediation; and (4) identify barriers to research implementation and future biochar research. Furthermore, the potential agricultural and environmental
benefits of biochar are addressed. According to these results, Cote d’Ivoire’s plentiful crop supplies represent a major opportunity for biochar production. Biochar has promising application in agriculture and the environment by improving soil fertility and crop productivity, sequestering CO2 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and
remediating polluted water and soils. Biochar is an excellent alternative to traditional coal for producing clean energy, especially for low-income households without access to reliable electricity. To reap biochar’s benefit within SSA, researchers, customers, and the general public need to overcome various challenges, including environmental, socioeconomic, and logistical constraints. Therefore, many research projects would be expected to show the value of biochar applications, set guidelines for their use, and ultimately, develop a policy and standards for their eventual implementation.

Bi Lepohi Guy Laurent Zanli
Christophe Gbossou (Coordinateur EXPADD)
Wei Tang
Michael Kamoto
Jiawei Chen