KOOLBIOCHAR – New formulations of Synthetic Black Soil for agricultural applications

Abstract

Soil overexploitation and climate change put the world agricultural production at risk. This is also true in Portugal, where the climate and poor soils limit agricultural productivity. Responding to this global challenge requires a sustainable management of water retention, nutrients and organic matter, as well as contaminants that are present in or are transported to soils. In this context, the KOOLBIOCHAR project emerged, aiming to develop and assess the sustainability of a new solution for soils, which can be implemented on a global scale, to mitigate the impacts of the above identified challenges. The solution of the KOOLBIOCHAR project consists in the production of an additive that allows the improvement of the performance of agricultural soils, in a sustainable way, through the development of customized products of synthetic black soils (TPS) based on a mixture of acacia biochar and composted organic wastes. The ultimate ambition of the project is to contribute to the central challenges of our societies, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to the eradication of hunger (SDG2), climate action (SDG13), the sustainability of cities and communities (SDG11), and with the protection of terrestrial life (SDG15).