Television Coverage

ABSTRACT: This short documentary describes the synergy between a gasifier cookstove (‘The Akha’) and biochar in rural Bangladesh. The stove makes biochar as a bi-product of cooking. Biochar can have a profound impact on agricultural production, because the soils are fertile, but low in organic matter. By making biochar in cookstoves, economic benefits diffuse to the maximum number of households. No additional biomass is used that wasn’t already being burned as fuel, the efficiency of cooking is increased, and women’s exposure to smoke is greatly reduced. The system combats climate change by reducing emissions of black carbon, and by sequestering carbon into soil organic matter through biochar.

The later 2/3 of the documentary is about biochar field research at locations around Shibalaya in Manikgonj District, Manda in Noagon district, Daudpur in Dinajpur district. The research (effectiveness of biochar for local crops and soils) is supervised by prominent professors Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Prof. Dr. Mostafijur Rahman and other researchers from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Professor Md. Toufiq Iqbal and his team from University of Rajshahi, Prof. Dr. Shah Moinur Rahman, Associate Professor Rezaul Karim and researchers from Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science & Technology University (HSTU) and renowned scientist Dr. Md Ilias from Regional Wheat and Maize research Centre Rajshahi.

Professor Iqbal explained how the cost for irrigation, and fertilizers were reduced by half, and the yields were increases 30 to 50% in cereal crops, vegetables and spices. Dr. Ilias explained how biochar increased soil water content and reduced soil temperature. During this past year the researchers have studied crops including rice, wheat, and vegetables cabbage, brinjal, green chilli, tomato, and red amaranth. A major objective is to transfer knowledge to local lead farmers. Learning workshops helped farmers to leverage the benefits of biochar to become agri-entrepreneurs. Four university and research institutions, 16 young researchers and 100 lead farmers are involved. With land being lost to rising sea levels, it is imperative to increase agricultural productivity to maintain national self-sufficiency in food.

ABSTRACT: Farmers at Shibalaya in Manikgonj District discuss their new experiences with Biochar. The biochar for field crops is being produced by their village households from a gasifier cookstove called the ‘Akha.’ Biochar is collected by women’s ‘Akha User Groups’ and sold to the farmers. The farmers have been testing biochar with rice maize and vegetable like gourds, mustard oil seed, and onions. Present at the discussion is the lead farmer, Azit Kumar Mondal, and agriculture officer Mr Ashrafuzzaman. The farmers are happy with their access to this new biochar technology and welcome more advice from government extension specialists. They appreciate that the biochar can help them adapt to climate change.

ABSTRACT: CCDB (Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh) initiated the development of biochar technology for action against climate change in 2013. Biochar is produced in households using a gasifier cookstove called the ‘Akha.’ Akhas and biochar are being introduced at three locations in Bangladesh by CCDB (funded by Kerk in Actie and ICCO, Netherlands). At one location, Daudpur, there are Santal and Orao communities. These are ancient tribal peoples with strong historical pride (Tebhaga movement of the 1940s.) and they are culturally integrated with water, land and forest for their agriculture and livelihoods.

Along with Akha-Project staff (CCDB), Government officials from Department Agriculture Extension (DAE) and professors researchers from Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science & Technology University (HSTU) visited and consult with community leaders about the benefits of Akha and biochar, and new approaches to carbon farming.

The documentary shows a colourful celebration and welcoming ceremony by Santal community. The documentary host, Dewan Siraj, interviews a lead Akha user named Shukma. She explains comparative advantage between traditional cookstoves and the Akha. The traditional cookstove is free to make and is more versatile with types of fuel used, but the Akha makes biochar, batch-loads with fuel so doesn’t need continuous stoking, giving free time for other tasks while cooking. The Akha produces less smoke, no eye irritation, and difficulties breathing. Biochar is being used in her home garden or sold to village farmers. Another woman, Golapi, tells a similar story of using Akha since 2017. She also has experience better health, saved cooking time, and has used biochar for growing her vegetables or has sold it. People of the Natagari Village are happy with these user-friendly technologies that increase their food production and enhance livelihoods.

ABSTRACT: “Biochar Production in Bangladesh” is a short documentary made in the summer of 2018 describing the recent introduction of TLUD and biochar technology in Bangladesh. The “Akha” TLUD stove plays a critical role by providing an environmentally sustainable way to make biochar available to rural households. This project has features that make it unique.

(1) The Akha was designed locally for rural Bangladesh. It is intended to made by small businesses, enabling local employment. This is a flat rather than hierarchical business model.

(2) There is an essential synergy between the TLUD and biochar, and these technologies are introduced to the public simultaneously. Around the World, there is a long history of failed ‘improved’ cookstove projects. The Akha has to be a viable stove in its own right, but the biochar may be a critically enabler of uptake by the public.

(3) There are many collaborators with multi-stakeholder participation: stove-makers, households, farmers, agri-service businesses, and Government and university researchers. Diverse hands are working to develop these technologies for Bangladesh.

(4) Bangladesh has special circumstances that make these technologies extremely relevant: a need to reduce exposure of women to smoke; a need to conserve fuel; high population density; the productivity of fertile soils limited by low soil organic matter; a productive climate allowing for three crops per year; a desire to reduce the need for imported chemical fertilizer.

Of particular concern is the need to increase food production to compensate for land lost to rising sea levels in the Bay of Bengal.