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Coffee farmers Don Ascensio Villareal Trujillo and his wife are part of Cotierra’s biochar project in Timana, Huila, Colombia. Photo credit: Lorenz Buser
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Biochar being applied to a coffee field inMinas Gerais, Brazil, as part of theNespresso AAA trial project at NunesCoffee Farm in Patrocínio. Photo credit: Murilo Bettarell
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Coffee grower José Antonio gathers coffee wood residues from renovation, preparing them for biochar production in Garzón, Huila, Colombia. Photo credit: Lorenz Buser.
A quiet yet significant shift is underway in the coffee-growing regions of Brazil, Colombia, and other Latin American countries. This change may go unnoticed among the coffee trees and the rhythm of harvest, but as piles of husks, pulp, and pruned branches find new life, they drive a transformation with far-reaching potential. The catalyst? Biochar—a charcoal-like material derived from biomass, celebrated for its ancient roots and new role in sustainable tropical agriculture, driven by initiatives from start-ups like Cotierra in Colombia, Carbon Trace in Mexico, and research backed by companies like Nespresso in Brazil.
Coffee farms are increasingly adopting biochar for its ability to enhance soil quality and water retention, addressing needs that conventional fertilizers often cannot meet. A study published in Nature found that biochar increases phosphorus availability in soil by a factor of 4.6, providing essential nutrients without relying on continuous chemical inputs. This effect on phosphorus—an essential and limited resource for energy production in living organisms—offers a welcome solution for farmers and food production facing soil depletion.
Beyond soil enhancement, biochar reclaims waste from coffee residues, pulp, and old coffee plants, transforming it into a valuable resource. This shift revitalizes soil health, retains water and nutrients, and offsets carbon, supporting resilient, circular coffee production.
As the global coffee industry aims to be the first fully sustainable value chain, biochar emerges as a critical tool. By integrating biochar into production, farmers and companies are discovering new ways to reduce waste and pave the way for a future that reclaims, renews, and redefines coffee.
Biochar: Ancient Tool, Modern Ally
Biochar (carbonized organic material rooted in ancient Amazonian practices) has been researched and is now revived for modern sustainable agriculture. Produced through pyrolysis—a thermochemical process that heats organic materials in a low-oxygen environment—biochar can retain between 17% and 95% of its carbon content. Once applied to soil, it remains stable for hundreds to thousands of years, locking carbon in soil and creating a lasting impact. This stability is vital in the fight against climate change, as each ton of sequestered carbon helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Biochar also serves as an effective soil amendment, enhancing water and nutrient retention while increasing fertilizer efficiency. Today, coffee farms utilize biochar derived from their own waste—husks, pulp, and pruned branches—that would otherwise be discarded or used as fuel. This circular approach aligns biochar with coffee ecosystems. While advances in characterizing coffee-residue biochars are ongoing, the diverse soils, climates, and farming techniques mean that definitive predictions for biochar’s impact on coffee yield and tree growth rates are still emerging.
Murilo Bettarello, an agricultural engineer, international regenerative agriculture consultant, and coffee grower in Alta Mogiana, Brazil, who works in biochar research for Nespresso, explains, “In Brazil, the conversation [about biochar] is growing, but the social and economic impact of these initiatives still have to be proven.”
One of biochar’s key attributes is its remarkable ability to offset carbon. In traditional decomposition, organic matter releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) into the atmosphere. However, through pyrolysis, organic material is converted into biochar, preserving much of its carbon content. Once applied to soil, biochar remains stable for hundreds to thousands of years, significantly enhancing its potential for generating carbon credits.
In this way, biochar transcends its role as an agricultural amendment, representing a climate-conscious approach to farming. In the coffee industry, where biochar’s benefits are just beginning to be explored, it stands out as a tool capable of fostering a more resilient, self-sustaining value chain. As the understanding of biochar expands, its promise grows as a keystone in the global effort to develop agriculture that not only feeds the world but sustains it.
According to Lorenz Buzer, CEO of the Swiss-Colombian company Cotierra, which specializes in biochar projects, utilizing biochar can “help producers transition to regenerative agriculture, improve their soils, margins, and resilience while reducing the carbon footprint.”
Biochar Case Studies Across Latin America
Latin America is emerging as a vibrant hub for biochar initiatives, especially in the coffee sector, where innovative projects are harnessing local resources to promote sustainable practices. This section highlights some key case studies from Latin America, emphasizing their global significance and the role of partnerships.
Research in Brazil for Nespresso
Agronomist and regenerative agriculture advisor Murilo Bettarello for the Nespresso AAA biochar trials project in Brazil inspects the quality of biochar application in the field.
Murilo Bettarello notes that two prominent biochar projects are pioneering sustainable coffee farming in Brazil. The first initiative, a collaboration between NetZero—a centralized biochar production company—and major coffee trading firms in Espírito Santo, aims to produce an impressive 15,000 tons of biochar annually.
The second project, in which Murilo is actively involved, is in partnership with Nespresso. This initiative focuses on agronomic trials across several coffee farms to evaluate biochar’s potential for soil regeneration and coffee yield improvements. Currently, they use approximately 100 tons of biochar to experiment with various biochar mix ratios and application rates across coffee plants of different ages. This approach aims to measure and assess biochar’s impact on plant growth and coffee production and to gather evidence about biochar’s effect on climate change adaptation in Brazil.
Although Nespresso’s commitment to advancing regenerative practices in Brazilian coffee farms is evident, the use of biochar in Brazilian coffee plantations is relatively new, and they are still developing the business. From Murilo’s perspective, the important step for implementing biochar technology will be that companies buy the carbon in advance so farmers can afford to invest. But before raising any hopes, he says, “There’s a lot of homework to do.”
Carbon Trace’s MRV Efforts in Mexico
In Mexico, a startup called Carbon Trace pioneered the Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) process for biochar by introducing a boots-on-the-ground approach to reducing air pollution caused by burning maize residues in Guanajuato. CEO Mari Carmen Mejia explains that this initiative not only improved air quality but also promised significant carbon offset benefits.
However, this project faced many challenges, particularly in securing sustainable financing and establishing a reliable biomass supply. She highlighted that the collaboration between biomass suppliers and biochar producers is critical to ensure high-quality biochar suitable for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). Mejia emphasizes the importance of developing a robust workflow, as the success of these initiatives relies on effective monitoring and verification over the long term.
Cotierra’s Decentralized Model in Colombia
In Colombia, Cotierra exemplifies a decentralized approach to biochar production that supports farmers in transitioning to regenerative practices. According to co-founder Lorenz Buzer, this Swiss-Colombian company currently collaborates with around 100 farms, using mobile pyrolysis reactors for on-site biochar production. Its goal is to offset 3,000 tons of carbon by 2025.
Trials with aerobic composters using pulp and biochar at the Cotierra facility in Pitalito, Huila, Colombia. Photo credit: Lorenz Buse
Cotierra aims not only to make a positive impact through biochar production but also to pioneer new business models and advance technology research and development in biochar production. A team of five mechanical engineers is currently focused on developing reactors and digital tools to control key variables in the biochar production process. In addition to technological challenges, they also face difficulties that include the logistical complexities of transporting biomass in rural settings, the weather, and the health of farm workers and smallholders.
Cotierra’s model recognizes the potential of partnerships with coffee farms, cooperatives, retailers, and roasters to increase its positive impact. These collaborations not only promote biochar adoption and insetting voluntary carbon credits but also foster the environment for a sustainable supply chain that benefits the broader agricultural community.
Initiatives like this one, by combining efforts from the private sector alongside NGOs, set a precedent for integrating new sustainable practices into coffee production, paving the way for a more resilient and environmentally friendly future in agriculture.
Last But Not Least
Integrating biochar into coffee cultivation presents a transformative opportunity to address environmental and economic challenges globally. By enhancing soil health, increasing water and nutrient retention, and sequestering carbon, biochar can significantly improve the resilience of coffee farms in the face of climate change.
The ancient technique of utilizing biochar is quickly emerging as one of the strongest initiatives to preserve and improve coffee production’s potential. However, realizing this potential will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders involved, from farmers seeking to improve their yields to policymakers and roasters in consuming countries and all the organizations in between.