A Reconnaissance-Scale Gis-Based Multicriteria Decision Analysis to Support Sustainable Biochar Use: Poland as a Case Study

Abstract

Although increasing numbers of research papers regarding biochar are being published worldwide, in some countries growing interest in biochar has only recently been observed; this is true of Poland. We analysed information on biochar research in Poland alongside lessons learned elsewhere in order to identify the significant opportunities and risks associated with biochar use. This data fed into a GIS-based multicriteria analysis to identify areas where biochar application could deliver greatest benefit. We found that 21.8% of agricultural land in Poland has at least moderate indication for biochar use (soil organic matter below 2% and ph below 5.5), while 1.5% was categorized as a priority as it also exhibited contamination. Potential barriers identified included biomass availability and associated risks of indirect land-use change due to possible national and transnational biomass production displacement. Biochar use could have positive global consequences as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly relevant in a country with limited alternatives. Scaling up a mitigation technology that is viable on account of its co-benefits might be cost-effective, which could, in turn, adjust national perspectives and stronger involvement in developing mitigation policies at the regional level. Biochar has much promise in temperate conditions and further research should therefore be assigned to explore biochar’s environmental and socio-economic impacts.

The Effects of Gliricidia-Derived Biochar on Sequential Maize and Bean Farming

“…On the other hand, similar results were observed in temperate climates where high doses of biochar (50 t/ha) did not lead to significant increase in maize productivity over long term [64]. Other research shows [26,65] that the effect of biochar on crop productivity is a function of a range of factors such as the type of biochar and the amount of biochar added to the soil, where biochar is being applied and how much additional nutrient is added.…”

Willingness to Adopt Biochar in Agriculture: The Producer’s Perspective

“…We found that the farmers that run their agricultural businesses between 5 and 10 years are the most interested in adopting biochar within their farm activities ( Table 3). The farmers who have run their agricultural businesses for longer periods may be more conservative and may have set ways of running their farms, while people who have recently entered the business may be more open to innovations [10]. Among those respondents who wanted to apply biochar, 55% declared that they had some knowledge about it.…”

“…In our study, the definition of biochar was given so the farmer could clearly understand the meaning. In addition, Bjerregaard's [29] results relied on interviews not only with the farmers but also with a range of stakeholders whose opinions might have differed significantly from those of the farmers [10,39]. Additionally, our research was conducted a few years later, when the term 'biochar' had been known longer (although its use was relatively more recent in Poland).…”

“…When added to soil, biochar can improve soil water-holding capacity [2][3][4], soil pH [5][6][7] and may be used in soil remediation [8]. While a significant amount of research has been conducted worldwide, a wider interest in and research into biochar have only recently been reported in countries such as Poland [9,10]. Among the countries where a number of biochar projects have been established, the United Kingdom, Germany and Finland lead research in Europe [11].…”

“…The main crops cultivated in Poland are wheat and rye [22]; the productivity of these crops is below the sustainable potential [24], and there is a need to improve the adoption rate of new approaches aimed at increasing productivity while minimizing adverse environmental effects. The potential of biochar for carbon sequestration is also an interesting angle in Poland, particularly given the international pressure to diminish carbon emissions in a country with limited options [10].…”