The sustainability of biochar use

Date
2024-03
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Biochar is a plant-based material that has been extensively studied for its potential in soil remediation, plant growth, and addressing industrial issues like water purification and climate change mitigation. However, there are two main challenges to its application in agriculture, that is, a lack of research- based outside Africa, and the interdependence of food, energy, and water resources. As urbanization in Africa increases, agricultural production areas have expanded to ensure food security, but this has led to the expansion of natural areas and habitats, posing threats to native endemic plants. South Africa's Cape Floristic Region (CFR) has been negatively affected, with some species extinct or threatened. Fynbos, a fire-driven vegetation type, is known for its diverse plant species, including iconic species like buchu, rooibos, and honeybush, which have medicinal properties that benefit local communities. A holistic approach to biochar research is needed to overcome these challenges, considering the interconnected nature of these interconnected resources. This dissertation focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to create peace, and human prosperity, reduce environmental degradation, and ensure sustainability. It aligns with the South African Department of Science and Technology's Biotechnology Strategy, which aims to improve the economy by integrating biotechnology and indigenous knowledge. The SDGs that are aligned include i) SDG 2 (ensuring zero hunger); ii) SDG 3 (ensuring good health and well-being); iii) SDG 6 (ensuring clean water and sanitation); iv) SDG 7 (ensuring affordable and clean energy) and lastly v) SDG 15 (Protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use for life on land). With three research chapters, the thesis investigates the potential of biochar by i) conducting a systematic review to analyse the results and draw conclusions based on research on agriculture production; ii) evaluating the interaction between biochar from invasive plant species and seed germination of three Fynbos medicinal plant species using an experiment and lastly iii) focusing on the interactions between food, energy, and water as integrated components for opportunities for optimization and innovation for smallholder farmers in South Africa, using a nexus approach. The results from these chapters showed that biochar does have the potential to i) improve agricultural production (positive response from different plants investigating the effects of biochar on seed germination, growth, yield, response to drought, salinity, pest, diseases, and allelopathy), ii) there is a slightly positive interaction between invasive plants biochar and germination of the seeds of the three medicinal plants and lastly, iii) using initiatives like alien invasive plants clearing on water sources, creating opportunities for farmers to use the alien plants for producing biochar and bio-oil or biofuel to improve the food, energy, and water interconnection. Considering the research in the context of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), this research focuses on applying biochar to enhance agricultural production to address SDGs 2, 6, and 7 in response to the agricultural needs of small-scale farmers in Africa. More specifically, in South Africa, it also explores the three Fynbos seeds in question, based on endemic species with a biocultural and commercial value that relates to SDGs 3 and 15.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Biochar, 'n plant-gebaseerde materiaal, is omvattend bestudeer vir sy potensiaal in grondremediëring, plantgroei, en die aanspreek van industriële kwessies soos watersuiwering en klimaatsverandering mitigasie. Daar is egter twee hoofuitdagings vir die toepassing daarvan in die landbou: 'n gebrek aan navorsing wat buite Afrika gebaseer is, en die interafhanklikheid van voedsel, energie en waterbronne. Namate verstedeliking in Afrika toeneem, het landbouproduksiegebiede uitgebrei om voedselsekerheid te verseker, maar dit het gelei tot die uitbreiding van natuurlike gebiede en habitatte, wat bedreigings vir inheemse endemiese plante inhou. Suid-Afrika se Kaapse Floristiese Streek (CFR) is negatief geraak, met sommige spesies wat uitgesterf of bedreig is. Fynbos, 'n brandgedrewe plantegroeitipe, is bekend vir sy diverse plantspesies, insluitend ikoniese spesies soos boegoe, rooibos en heuningbos, wat medisinale eienskappe het wat plaaslike gemeenskappe bevoordeel. Om hierdie uitdagings te oorkom, is 'n holistiese benadering tot biochar-navorsing nodig, met inagneming van die onderling-verbonde aard van hierdie onderling-verbonde hulpbronne. Hierdie proefskrif fokus op die Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte (SDG's) om vrede, menslike welvaart te skep, omgewingsagteruitgang te verminder en volhoubaarheid te verseker. Dit strook met die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Wetenskap en Tegnologie se Biotegnologiestrategie, wat daarop gemik is om die ekonomie te verbeter deur biotegnologie en inheemse kennis te integreer. Die SDG's wat belyn is, sluit in i) SDG 2 (verseker zero honger); ii) SDG's 3 (goeie gesondheid en welstand te verseker); iii) SDG 6 (versekerskoon water en sanitasie); iv) SDG 7 (versekerbekostigbare en skoon energie) en laastens v) SDG 15 (Beskerming, herstel en bevordering van volhoubare gebruik vir lewe op land). Met drie navorsingshoofstukke ondersoek die tesis die potensiaal vir biochar om i) ondersoek deur middel van sistematiese ondersoekende oorsig van publikasies om die resultate te analiseer; en om gevolgtrekkings te maak gebasseer op navorsing van landbou produksie. ; ii) die interaksie tussen biochar van indringerplantspesies en saadontkieming van drie Fynbos medisinale plantspesies te ondersoek met behulp van 'n eksperiment en laastens iii) fokus op die interaksies tussen voedsel, energie en water as geïntegreerde komponente vir geleenthede vir optimalisering en innovasie vir kleinboere in Suid-Afrika, deur 'n nexus-benadering te gebruik. Die resultate van hierdie hoofstukke het getoon dat biochar wel die potensiaal het om i) landbouproduksie te verbeter (positiewe reaksie van verskillende plante wat die uitwerking van biochar op saadontkieming, groei, opbrengs, reaksie op droogte, soutgehalte, plaag, siektes en allelopatie ondersoek), ii) daar is 'n effens positiewe interaksie tussen indringerplante, biokool en ontkieming van die sade van die drie medisinale plante en laastens, iii) die gebruik van inisiatiewe soos die skoonmaak van uitheemse indringerplante op waterbronne, die skep van geleenthede vir boere om die uitheemse plante te benut vir die vervaardiging van biochar en bio-olies of biobrandstof om die voedsel-, energie- en waterverbinding te verbeter. Met inagneming van die navorsing in die konteks van die volhoubare ontwikkelingsdoelwitte (SDG's), fokus hierdie navorsing die aandag op die toepassing van biochar om landbouproduksie te verbeter om SDG 2, 6 en 7 aan te spreek in reaksie op die landboubehoeftes van kleinskaalse boere in Afrika. Meer spesifiek, in Suid-Afrika ondersoek dit ook die drie betrokke Fynbos-sektore, gebaseer op endemiese spesies met 'n biokulturele en kommersiële waarde wat verband hou met SDG's 3 en 15.
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Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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