Biochar for Grassroots Development Teo Humkey Haley Schlageter Seth Neumann Cameron Montalvo

Haitians  Population: ~10 million people  Population Density: ~700 people/mi. ²  French forestry practices detrimental to environment beginning in  First post-colonial sovereign nation after slave led revolt in  Hit by a 7.0 magnitude and a 6.3 earthquake in 2010 that killed up to 300,000.  Hurricanes, Tropical storms, Earthquakes are fairly common occurrences.  Poorest Country in the western hemisphere.  41% of the population was unemployed in  ¾ of population lives on $2 a day or less.

Haitians According to the C.I.A. 'Fact Book' :  30.8% of Haitian labor force is involved in agriculture but up to as much of 60% make some money of the land.  Coffee, mangoes, cocoa, sugarcane, rice, sorghum, wood, and vetiver (bunchgrass used for oil production).  20% of the labor force is involved in industries.  Textiles, sugar refining, flour milling, cement, light assembly using imported parts.  53% make up the service industry.  Primarily informal sector including vendors, shoe shiners, artists, fisherman, etc.

Haitians and Us: Do our goals align?  0.31 x 4.8 million people = ~1.5 million people  Plenty of people that this technology can reach.  80% of college graduates from Haiti live abroad.  Haiti is in need of brain power.  People not unfamiliar with charred materials. (Slash and Burn)  Asking people to add Biochar in dirt should natural.  Need solutions for fertility (no surplus present) and erosion.  Biochar can give quick results.  Leading cause of deforestation is fuel needs.  Biochar Charcoal and Charcoal + Cook stoves = Efficiency

150 mm = ~6 inches 22 °C = ~ 72°F

Potential Benefits  Increase or decrease flow of H20 through soil as necessary.  Remove pollutants (eg. Heavy Metals).  Improve microbial life of soil.  Sequester Carbon.  Increase yields in crops.  Scalability

Biomass to Biochar

Biochar to Appropriate Technology

Potential Concerns and Issues  Economic viability (price).  Ability and Willingness to buy?  Must have ties to production to access?  How might this affect potential dissemination?  Carbon sequestration  Complicate process for smallholders?  Environmental impact  Sustainability of feedstock?  Accelerate deforestation to fuel large-scale biochar production?

Things to remember Safety Concerns:  Cholera and other diseases  Earthquakes, Hurricanes, etc. Work Concerns:  Lacking Infrastructure  Ranked 143 of 148 countries in NRI.