Objective

This project aims to restore Namibia’s savannahs and rangelands by addressing the country’s land degradation and increasing biodiversity. By producing biochar from bush encroachment, the project will increase rural communities’ livelihood adaptation and livelihood improvement through developing a sustainable resource value chain enterprise from bush encroachment. Between 300,000 and 450,000 square kilometres of land in Namibia are now bush encroached. To put it into context, this is as large as Sweden or Germany. The phenomenon of bush encroachment has led to serious negative consequences for Namibia, which includes: - Decreased biodiversity, - An increase in land degradation and deterioration, - The degradation of the functions and structures of ecological ecosystems, - A decrease in rangelands’ livestock carrying capacity, - A decrease of between 30% and 50% in Namibia’s beef production, - The displacement of wildlife, - As well as impacting groundwater recharge, and importantly - The decrease in food security and livelihoods in rural communities throughout the country. It is within the project guidelines where we integrate our social and economic development and upliftment programs through community projects to benefit the rural communities.

What would happen if this project did not take place?

The current process of charcoal production does not significantly reduce the nuisance bush due to the lack of scale and regrowth.

Without the project, the biomass will be left on the land as the cost of clearing does not justify the clearance. Natural vegetation fires are uncommon in the area, and the bush does not burn naturally as it is a plant with a high water retention ability and a root system that protects it. The groundwater table will be negatively impacted as these invasive species grow.

Charcoal and biochar are produced using similar methods but differ in a key aspect. In charcoal production, the fire is doused at a specific temperature to retain energy for later combustion. In contrast, biochar contains no fuel, acting as a carbon sponge with no second burning cycle and lower emissions. When added to soil, biochar locks in carbon, preventing its release as emissions.

Methodology and Accreditation

• European Biochar Certificate (EBC)
• Global Artisan C-Sink – Carbon Standard International (CSI)
• World Carbon Standard
• ICROA
• Forest Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org)

Eligibility under methodology

• Production of Biochar according to Global Artisan C-Sink conditions
• Farmers and Artisan Biochar Producers are not certified under any other methodology for nature-based climate service (i.e. Biomass production and soil organic carbon)
• Social Impact: Involved parties must be compensated fairly and transparently.
• Project location: Must be in a low- or middle-income country according to the World Bank classification.
• Biochar production does not exceed 100m3/year for a single C-Sink Farmer or 1500m3/year for a single Artisan Pro and is done with a low-tech production unit.
• The C-sinks issued in this project are not claimed in any other Carbon Crediting Scheme. Additionality: Without carbon finance, it would not be possible to purchase the Kon Tiki kilns, deploy the equipment, establish the sites and provide a safe, insured environment with training for Biochar production.

Biomass Type

Acacia

Several African hardwoods are classified as Acacia; collectively, the trees constitute most of the bushveld biome. Unlike traditional forests, savannah forests are clustered with smaller trees that provide grazing medium to larger antelope and elephants. With the decimation of Africa’s large migratory herds and the establishment of commercial farms with fences, natural control of the growth of the trees has effectively come to a halt.

The most common of these species are: Sickle Bush (Dichrostachys cinerea). Sickle Bush is an aggressive encroacher species that dominates large areas. When rangeland degrades, it forms impenetrable thickets of up to 20,000 plants per hectare. This species usually grows as a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub or small tree. This type of species has pods that are palatable and nutritious. It is widespread in various habitats in Namibia's north-central plateau and central high grounds.

Black Thorn (Acacia mellifera) is Namibia’s most abundant encroacher species, growing in all non-desert habitats throughout the country. This bush species can be used for charcoal, and because of its high protein content, it’s a good supplement for fodder.
Kalahari Acacia (Acacia luederitzii) is a multi-stemmed, deciduous tree and very thorny shrub that dominates in eastern Namibia and the South African Limpopo province.

Dichrostachys Cinerea (common name Sickle Bush). A thorny, fast-growing woody bush or treelet is an indigenous nuisance species, notably spreading through bush encroachment where natural reduction in large grazers has resulted in uncontrolled spreading. The ecological process of changing a grass-dominated community into a woody community remains problematic due to large amounts of seeds within the unbalanced soils. The trees and shrubs invade fields, wastelands, roadsides and other disturbed areas. It causes biodiversity and agricultural production losses, and its management involves frequent, heavy and expensive control work. Our approach provides a permanent solution.

The overriding theme in Namibia’s policy framework is the sustainable use of its rangelands and combating bush encroachment to restore and recover livestock productivity. The restoration of 15.5 million hectares of encroached land is a national commitment presented in the NDP5 and one of Namibia’s climate change mitigation and adaptation contributions to the UNFCCC Paris Agreement. Therefore, tackling the bush encroachment crisis is a high-level adaptation priority for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.

National Agriculture Policy (2015): This Policy recognises the problems of bush encroachment, desertification and environmental degradation caused by the destruction of forest cover, soil erosion, overgrazing and bush encroachment. The policy aims to “establish mechanisms to support farmers in combating bush encroachment effectively over the short and long term”. Encroacher bush is removed through a sustainable bush harvesting program. The Forest Act and its Regulations govern all harvesting of trees and wood anywhere in Namibia. This Act is administered by the Directorate of Forestry (DoF).

Invasive/Nuisance Biomass Status

Namibia is affected by bush encroachment on a massive scale. The phenomenon currently affects 26 to 30 million hectares of farmland in 9 of the country's 14 regions. That amounts to roughly 30 per cent of Namibia's land area.
Detailed sources available on request

Kiln Metrics

One kiln removes 600 Hectares per annum and provides 5 direct long-term jobs and with additional indirect jobs (multiplier of 7.81 in agriculture) [World Food Program] Anticipated kilns in the project = 40 Total Direct Jobs = 200 Total indirect jobs (Logistics, etc) = 1,562

Rehabilitation of the Local Water Table

The clearing of alien invasive plants such as Acacia to salvage the water they use is a common management practice employed in countries like Australia, China, South Africa and the USA, among others (Doody et al., 2011; Richardson and van Wilgen, 2004).

The overriding objective of the clearing programmes is to reduce excess water use by invasive species (Dye et al., 1996) so that the water demands of people and the environment can be met through increased stream flows and groundwater yields.

Removing one hectare of invasive plants restores enough water to meet the annual needs of 1,400 people.

United National Sustainable Development Goals Impact

Project Phase 1 - Biomass Removal

• SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG 5 - Gender Equality
• SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities

Rural workers are employed in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. This covers segments such as the right of workers to fair practice and non-exploitation. This is in line with the UN SDG 3 target. As we provide work to female workers (in a male-dominated environment), we create conditions to ensure that female workers are part of the process. From trials, women workers are better kiln operators due to a more detailed focus on work. The project sites provide sanatory support, including water recycling. Sanitation is provided on project sites, and we support programs in rural settings to ensure workers and community members have access to water and sanitation. Our labour practice, payment of salaries and provision of training are set toward the increase of livelihood and opportunity for rural agricultural workers.

Project Phase 2 - Post Biomass Removal

• SDG 4 - Quality Education
• SDG 5 - Gender Equality
• SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 15 - Life on Land

The project aims to move away from charcoal production, which is used as a primary energy resource, to biochar, which is returned to the soil. We are teaching a new generation of agricultural workers the value of moving into a natural resource use approach that ensures that farm workers are part of the production cycle. As workers start filtering their income into the rural economy and ASH contribute to the education trust, we indirectly contribute to 5-6-15.

Project Total

• SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG 4 - Quality Education
• SDG 5 - Gender Equality
• SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 14 - Life Below Water
• SDG 15 - Life on Land

ASH Group (Business and Foundation)

• SDG 1 - No Poverty
• SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
• SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG 4 - Quality Education
• SDG 5 - Gender Equality
• SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13 - Climate Action
• SDG 15 - Life on Land
• SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

Carbon Offset

Carbon Standard International