Biochar News by Country

FNCA Biofertilizer Newsletter
Mr. Richard M. Balog, Editor, Leader of FNCA Biofertilizer Project of the Philippines, Issue No. 7 February 2007

Message from the Philippines.

Dear Readers,

This 7th issue of the FNCA (Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia) Biofertilizer Newsletter features the activities pertaining to research and development, industry, use and promotion and impactof Biofertilizers in Philippine agriculture. It's my pleasure to share to you information herein that you may find interesting and valuable in line with the same activities in your respective areas.

The need to address the food requirement of the growing population in the Philippines made the farmers adopt the latest technology in agriculture like the use of high yielding and resistant crop varieties. These varieties however require high amount of nutrients making the farmers dependent on agricultural input like inorganic fertilizers. It was reported that from 1966 to 1998 fertilizer application in the Philippines increased from 20% to 80%. Nitrogen, considered as the most limiting
factor in crop production, gains the highest mark of all the major nutrients from inorganic sources applied by farmers. The 2001 FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) Yearbook on fertilizers stated that from 1987 to 1998, Philippine consumption of nitrogenous fertilizers increased from 371,487 MT to 546,499 MT. Such consumption resulted to high production for some time but adverse soil and other environmental conditions were observed in the long run. This called for the use of other alternative inputs. The use of biofertilizers has been determined as one of the main options to address the rising concern on agricultural and environmental sustainability.

Biofertilizer industry in the Philippines grown considerably with the promotion of Government of bioorganic farming and the active involvement of research institutions, private individuals and enterprises. Biofertilizers in various forms have been developed and more researches on rhizobia legume symbiosis, azolla, mychorriza, sesbania, blue green algae and the living microorganism (Nfixing bacteria) were encouraged.

My sincere thanks to the contributors who graciously contributed some highlights of their research works and efforts. Without their contributions, this issue would not have materialized.

Best regards,
Richard M. Balog
FNCA Biofertilizer Project Leader, Philippines

See also:
3. Mycorrhiza

FNCA: carriers for Biofertilizers

Microbial and Organic Fertilizers in Asia
FFTC

Biotechnology Capacity Of LDCs In The Asian Pacific Rim
Suman Sahai, Gene Campaign, AgBioforum, Volume 2 // Number 3 & 4 // Article 7, 1999

Energy & Agricultural Carbon Utilization: Sustainable Alternatives to Sequestration
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, June 10-11, 2004

Oral Presentations

Discovery and Awareness of Anthropogenic Amazonian Dark Earths (Terra Preta)
Bill Denevan - Prof. Emeritus, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, WI USA

Explorations of Pre-Columbian Agricultural Landscapes in the Amazon
Clark Erickson - Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA

The Secrets of Making Terra Preta Soils

Australia leads the way in a new approach to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Stephen Joseph, Best Energies, Australia, February 7, 2007

Australia has been selected as the host of the first International Conference on the use of Agrichar (also known as Bio-char), to be held between 29th April and 2nd May, 2007 in the sea-side resort of Terrigal, just a few hours drive from Sydney.

Verve Integrated Wood Processing (IWP) Plant Narrogin, Western Australia
Steve Schuck, Stephen Schuck and Associates Pty Ltd
, Bioenergy Australia Manager, February 12, 2007

Soil Organic Carbon
Jan Skjemstad, CRC Greenhouse Accounting

In Summary

Soil OC is a significant source and sink of atmospheric CO2

Soil is a complex, biologically active medium

Soil OC is not one material

Changes in SOC can be measured directly or can be modelled

The C sink value of soils is limited BUT increasing and maintaining SOC has many benefits for improved productivity and soil resilience