Agricultural innovation in Minas: charcoal promotes sustainable rural development

Minas, Camagüey, April 12^th. - At the El Sacrificio farm, Minas Gerais farmer Gadier Mora is experimenting with the use of charcoal as a substrate for growing rice seedlings. This innovative technique is being applied for the first time, motivated by the scarcity of available fertilizers.

This product, also known as biochar or charcoal, is obtained through biomass pyrolysis, a process that decomposes organic matter in the absence of oxygen. In recent years, its use in agriculture has gained importance due to its environmental and agronomic benefits, as explained by Abel Morales Almeida, an official of the Small Farmers Association (ANAP) in the region.

Mora, a farmer committed to innovation, has fully invested in this practice, observing promising results. Charcoal is easy to produce and can be mixed with fertile soil, to which worm castings can be added, another effective technique currently in use.

This strategy has already proven effective in crops, especially those of agroecological potatoes. Omar Fernández Adán, a producer with the Sergio González Credit and Services Cooperative (CCS), mentioned that the recent planting of the tuber used it as a base for preparing the soil. Currently, the soil is being prepared for planting sweet potatoes, also using the tuberculillo technique.

The use of charcoal as an alternative to chemical fertilizers offers multiple benefits for the soil and the environment. However, it is essential that its application be tailored to local conditions to ensure its effectiveness and sustainability. (Roilan Pérez Agüero/La Voz del Bayatabo Minas) (Photo: Taken from the Internet)