A first of its kind convening on “Biochar for Crop Residue Management & Climate Resilience in Punjab,” organized by the Carbon Removal India Alliance (CRIA) and GDi Partners, and supported by the Punjab Development Commission, Open Philanthropy, and the Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation, brought together government agencies, industry leaders, academician, civil society, philanthropies and investors on April 9, 2025, to chart a collaborative path forward for biochar adoption in Punjab. The convening, held at the CII Northern Region Headquarters in Chandigarh, addressed the economic and air pollution impacts of crop residue burning and explored biochar as a sustainable and economically viable solution for the problem.
Biochar is increasingly being recognized as a promising solution for sustainable crop residue management in Punjab. Produced by processing agricultural waste like paddy straw through specific methods such as pyrolysis, torrefaction etc, biochar not only reduces air pollution from open burning but also could enrich soil and locks carbon in a stable form for centuries—making it a compelling carbon dioxide removal (CDR) pathway. However, scaling biochar requires more than just technological readiness. Its deployment and right application lie at the intersection of agriculture, agribusiness, and climate action—and as such, need to be approached collaboratively. The event was organized with the idea of bringing together diverse stakeholders to push forth dialogue and action in this area, in context of the larger issue of crop residue management in Punjab.
The day commenced with a plenary session featuring addresses from key stakeholders, including by Ajit Balaji Joshi, Secretary, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, M.P. Singh, Director, Punjab Energy Development Agency and Gurinder Singh Majithia, Member Secretary, Punjab Pollution Control Board.
The convening also included panel discussions focusing on critical aspects of biochar adoption. These panels addressed:
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Biochar Developers Showcases: insights from seven diverse developers, showcasing opportunities and challenges from private sector and farmer perspectives
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Policy Imperatives and Pathways: Exploring policies, regulations, and incentives to drive large-scale biochar adoption.
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Cultivating Trust for Scale: Discussing the role of research, trials, and capacity building in fostering farmer confidence and setting industry standards.
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Role of Finance: Examining how public, private, and philanthropic finance can be leveraged to scale biochar adoption.
Senior State Government officials who participated in the panel discussions included Shoikat Roy, Member, Punjab Development Commission, Gurharminder Singh, Joint Director, Directorate of Environment & Climate Change, Dr. Manpreet Singh Mavi, Senior Soil Chemist, Punjab Agricultural University and Pritpal Singh, Executive Director, Punjab State Council for Science and Technology.
Participants engaged in focused discussions, and the convening yielded several key outcomes:
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Emphasis on Research and Standards: Participants highlighted the critical need for rigorous and localized research to validate biochar's effectiveness in the specific context of Punjab's agriculture. The development of clear standards and operative guidelines for biochar use was identified as essential to ensure quality and efficacy.
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Call for Government Support: The discussions underscored the importance of government support through supporting initiatives and pilot projects in the short run and tailored schemes and initiatives in the long run to incentivize and enable the sustainable scaling of biochar production and application.
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Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: A strong consensus emerged on the necessity of close collaboration among diverse stakeholders and public private partnerships, to drive biochar adoption effectively.
The convening served to catalyze connections and synergies between stakeholders, fostering a platform for future conversations and collaborative action pathways focused on scaling biochar.
Asitava Sen, Co-Founder & CEO of the Carbon Removal India Alliance (CRIA), while commenting on biochar’s potential for durable carbon dioxide removal and the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration said “The time is ripe for various stakeholders like Governments, Agriculture Universities, Biochar developers, civil society and farmer organizations work together and develop a pathway for scaling up adoption of Biochar. Production and application of biochar addresses many critical issues simultaneously, such as effective management of crop residues, removing carbon dioxide from atmosphere and earn offset credits; improve soil quality and make agriculture more climate resilient.”
Echoing the need for a roadmap for multi-stakeholder collaboration, Ankit Jain, Co-Founder, GDi Partners additionally commented on the need for in-depth research: “Biochar presents an exciting opportunity for Punjab — offering a potential solution for crop residue management while advancing sustainable agriculture. However, its widescale application requires comprehensive, evidence-based research to understand both the benefits and potential consequences in the local context.”
