IBI October Newsletter - SEA contributions

The following two items have been sent to IBI for the October newsletter...

Workshop on Biochar - Production and Uses
Monday 22^nd - Tuesday 23^rd November 2010

Location: Angkor Village Resort, Siem Reap, Cambodia (www.angkorvillage.com)
Phone contact: Ms. Sarah Carter 011427383
Email: sarah.carter@ed.ac.uk

This meeting will discuss the current state of biochar production and use in Cambodia, and will explore the potential for development of new technologies – both large and small scale, with a particular focus on gasification cook stoves. Issues for consideration to policy makers, and prototype guidelines for sustainable biochar deployment as an agricultural soil amendment will be discussed.

Day 1 will be discussions and presentations, and day 2 will be optional field trips to biochar agricultural field trials, a commercial gasification unit, and a visit to biochar stove production including demonstrations. 

Biochar is the result of thermally treating biomass (including wood, agricultural residues, paper sludge) in a zero to low oxygen environment to produce a charcoal type material. 

Presentations based on your own work/experience on any of the above areas are welcome, please submit an abstract for consideration. Delegates are encouraged to bring display/demonstration materials and video films based on their work.

Travel and accommodation assistance can be offered to a limited number of participants from within Cambodia. Please note that delegates must attend the entire workshop in order to qualify for accommodation and/or travel assistance. As the desired number of participants is limited, not more than two delegates from a single organisation can register. 

This meeting is part of the ‘Enabling Bio-innovations for Poverty Alleviation in Asia Project’, funded through IDRC-CRDI (www.bioinnovationpolicies.ait.asia)

2)
The School of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah has begun a research project titled "Maize Response to Soil Amended with Biochar and Inorganic Phosphorus Fertilizer".The primary objectives of this study are (i) to examine the effect of rice husk biochar on the growth and yield of maize grown on a Malaysian mineral soil fertilized with triple superphospahte fertilizer and (ii) to determine maize phosphorus uptake. This is a final year research project by Thien Nyuk Yen under the supervision of Dr Mohamadu Boyie Jalloh. <jallohmb@yahoo.com>

There are some rather stunning photos after 6 weeks of this pot trial. PDF available on request.