The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and climate technology start-up Planboo have announced a new pilot project that will introduce biochar production on cotton farms in India, aiming to measure, monetise, and scale environmental improvements across the sector.
Beginning in February 2026, the project will work with at least 75 farmers to convert agricultural waste from the upcoming cotton harvest into biochar, a charcoal-like material that enhances soil health and can lock carbon in the ground for more than a century.
Lars van Doremalen, Director of Impact at BCI, said the organisation had been working closely with Planboo since forming the partnership in September. He stated that biochar “holds the potential to unlock huge greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon removals while fortifying farming communities against the effects of climate change”.
Three kilns will be installed across Gujarat and Maharashtra, with the capacity to process 375 tonnes of agricultural waste and produce between 60 and 70 tonnes of biochar. Farmers will undergo training early next year to learn how to use the kilns and move away from the widespread practice of crop residue burning, which harms both the environment and public health.
Planboo’s digital Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRVin) system will track the entire biochar production cycle, from waste input to carbon removal calculations. This data-driven approach is expected to streamline carbon accounting and open new revenue opportunities for farming communities.
Freddie Catlow, Founder of Planboo, said cotton farmers were “sitting on an unrealised asset”, referring to crop residues often disposed of through burning. He added that Planboo’s technology would allow them to “learn, burn and earn” by converting this waste into a “durable, accredited form of carbon removal” that also improves soil resilience.
The pilot will run until the end of 2026, with BCI set to share insights on how biochar affects crop yields, water retention, emissions reduction and long-term carbon storage. Both BCI and Planboo will also evaluate the feasibility of scaling the approach across the cotton sector, linking environmental benefits at field level with Scope 3 reduction goals and carbon credit generation.
