PepsiCo, Lays - The Biochar Project

The Biochar Project uses a large clay and brick kiln that farmers can use to burn leftover stubble from their fields. Tiny holes limit the amount of oxygen that can enter the oven, reducing the amount of smoke created, while also more steadily regulating any smoke that is released. What’s more, the oven turns the stubble into a carbon-rich fertiliser, known as biochar. Biochar is an ancient method of soil enrichment dating back thousands of years to the ancient Amazonians, and The Biochar Project’s clever kilns allow farmers to create it easily.

The initial pilot in Punjab’s Sangrur district,, saw a 50% reduction in pollution, along with a 33% reduction in fertiliser spend for farmers and an impressive 19% increase in crop yield.