July 25, 2023

 

Company tests biomass-based solution in Cavite, Philippines poultry farm

 

 

 

WasteX, a climate-tech company operating in the Philippines and Indonesia, said it rolled out a ‘biochar' solution in a poultry farm in Cavite, the Philippines.

 

The company said it pilot tested biochar, a charcoal-like and carbon-rich substance derived from biomass, which can boost the performance of the poultry industry and help achieve sustainable farming techniques.

 

"The outcomes of our solution implementation at the poultry farm have exceeded our initial expectations," said Pawel Kuznicki, founder and chief executive officer of WasteX. "While we anticipated operational improvements and benefits from the generation and sale of carbon credits, the additional income and savings resulting from decreased mortality rates and reduced bedding use will far surpass the carbon credit proceeds.

 

"We are currently working with several other poultry farms in the Philippines and Indonesia to expand the implementation of our solution."

 

While still nascent in the Philippines, the company said biochar technology has already received positive reception and full support from the Philippines government. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), for instance, has expressed eagerness to promote biochar as a green alternative to chemical fertiliser.

 

It also said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is still looking at ways to widely promote the use of biochar among farmers.

 

Citing data from the Bureau of Animal Industry, WasteX said there are 1,593 registered poultry farms in the Philippines.

 

Biochar is produced from rice husk and poultry litter using WasteX's proprietary equipment at one of Pitik's farms. The biochar was then incorporated into the farm's operations in two ways: as a bedding additive of up to 10% of the total bedding and as a feed supplement of up to 2% of the feed.

 

The supplementation of bedding with up to 10% biochar led to substantial improvements in the farm's broiler chicken production.

 

"The results were impressive, with a 25% reduction in chicken mortality rate, a 30% decrease in overall bedding use and the farm achieving the highest ever recorded value in its Performance Index," Kuznicki added. "Furthermore, there was a slight decrease in the feed conversion ratio or FCR (feed conversion ratio)."

 

Additionally, by supplementing the feed with up to 2% biochar, the poultry farm experienced a near-complete eradication of the E. coli population, contributing to enhanced biosecurity measures and healthier poultry, according to the company.

 

WasteX's pilot findings revealed that total benefits for a 20,000-chicken farm would amount to more than ₱275,000 (US$5,000) annually in additional savings and income.

 

"Given the slim margins of a typical poultry farm, adopting this new practice could significantly improve farmers' profits and livelihood," Kuznicki said.

 

Furthermore, WasteX guarantees carbon credits to its clients for the entire biochar production and application, amounting to US$50 per tonne of biochar. This could translate to up to US$2,000 per farm per year, incentivising farms to adopt this innovative solution.

 

Biochar is entitled to carbon credits, as it captures and stores carbon for extended periods to help mitigate climate change. If applied at full scale, biochar could transform the agricultural industry into a carbon-negative and climate-positive sector.

 

- Business Mirror