As we wrap up our six-month consulting project with a Japanese Company in Thailand, we’re reflecting on what has been an exciting and challenging collaboration. The project, focused on exploring the potential for cassava-derived biochar, brought together local farmers, technical experts, and agricultural partners around a single goal: finding practical, scalable ways to turn crop waste into climate impact.
While we can’t name the end client, we can share some of the insights and outcomes that emerged from this partnership — lessons that highlight how complex, hands-on projects like this help shape the future of sustainable agriculture and carbon removal.
Biochar Life’s role was to serve as a local support and technical advisor. Over the six months, our team provided on-the-ground coordination, technical guidance, and farmer training to ensure safe and effective biochar production using cassava rhizome — the often-discarded stump and root material left after harvest.
The objective was simple but ambitious: demonstrate how cassava residues could be transformed into biochar that not only locks away carbon but also supports farmers through better soil health and reduced smoke pollution.
Our scope included selecting suitable kiln technologies, supporting procurement and setup, training local operators, while liaising between the Japanese Company’s international team and Thai stakeholders. We also helped design a pathway for potential carbon-credit registration and long-term scalability.
The project ran across two main locations — Nakhon Sawan in central Thailand and Sakon Nakhon in the northeast — each with its own set of challenges and lessons learned.
The biggest hurdle turned out to be the weather. Heavy, prolonged rainfall from June through November made drying cassava rhizomes extremely difficult. Whole rhizomes can take a month to dry, even in ideal conditions; under persistent rain, it becomes a near-constant cycle of moving biomass in and out of limited storage space to keep it dry.
Despite the challenges, the team completed pilot production runs, confirming that the technology and methods work well once feedstock conditions are right. The key takeaways were practical:
● Schedule operations outside of the rainy season.
● Expand covered storage areas for biomass.
● Use crushing or coarse-cutting equipment to speed drying and reduce labour.
In Sakon Nakhon, the main challenge was location. Initial plans to operate within a factory area were revised due to smoke management requirements, leading to a relocation to a rural farm site. Though production began late, the team demonstrated strong technical capability, operating kilns effectively and collecting quality data.
The relocation also underscored a recurring theme in biochar projects: context matters. Each site’s geography, community proximity, and resource availability can drastically shape the feasibility and design of operations.
Across both sites, farmer training was a cornerstone of the project. Through hands-on sessions, we demonstrated safe kiln operation, correct data recording, and practical use of biochar in fields.
Even though rainfall limited output, participating farmers began to see the potential, both for improving soil health and reducing smoke. In future phases, we recommend that the biochar produced be distributed to farmers free of charge, helping build familiarity and confidence before moving to incentive or payment schemes.
This community-first approach reflects a broader truth: successful biochar projects grow from trust, not transactions. When farmers understand the value and see the results on their own land, adoption becomes natural.
Another important component of the project was establishing a foundation for carbon-credit readiness. Our team provided recommendations for digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMRV) systems to ensure that future carbon claims are traceable and verifiable.
We proposed transitioning to QR-coded tracking for each bag of biochar and more detailed documentation. Other recommendations included formalising payment systems, improving record-keeping for biomass sourcing and use, and conducting regular lab testing of biochar samples.
These steps will help the project align with international standards for carbon removal — a crucial requirement for future certification under Ceres or similar frameworks.
For Biochar Life, this engagement wasn’t just about delivering a report. It was about bringing practical biochar innovation to real-world conditions, combining local experience with technical rigor.
Working with a firm known for its leadership in engineering and sustainable development gave us the chance to demonstrate how a smallholder-focused, distributed model of biochar production can complement large-scale agricultural systems.
Despite the weather setbacks, the project achieved its goal: a functioning pilot that produced measurable biochar, trained farmers, and created a clear roadmap for scaling and certification.
The project was led on the ground by Nathapat Aurepatipan (Khun Aer), Biochar Life’s Country Manager for Thailand, whose coordination and field expertise were essential to its success.
“Working closely with an international business and local farmer groups gave us a deep understanding of both the technical and practical challenges of cassava biochar,” said Nathapat Aurepatipan (Khun Aer), Biochar Life’s Thailand Country Manager. “We learned that successful biochar projects require more than the right technology — they need local alignment, the right timing, and a process that genuinely empowers farmers. That’s where real, sustainable change begins.”
As this phase comes to a close, Biochar Life remains deeply optimistic about the potential for cassava-based biochar in Thailand. The feedstock is abundant, the agricultural infrastructure is strong, and the commitment from local partners is growing.
The next step is to move from pilot to scale — refining logistics, improving drying and storage infrastructure, and integrating digital verification to ensure transparency from field to credit.
This collaboration reaffirmed what we’ve long believed: climate solutions work best when they’re practical, local, and rooted in community. By combining technical innovation with on-the-ground partnerships, we can turn agricultural waste into value — for farmers, for businesses, and for the planet.