Towards Qatar’s agricultural autonomy; QSTP workshop discusses use of biochar

Towards Qatar’s agricultural autonomy; QSTP workshop discusses use of biochar

Doha: Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), jointly with its anchor partner, ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ), held a workshop to highlight research initiatives focused on the use of biochar and its potential to unlock various agricultural and environmental gains.

The workshop aimed to share EMRQ’s initiative in developing and using biochar – a carbon-rich form of charcoal that can be generated from different waste resources, such as municipal solid waste, food waste, or industrial waste – for industrial wastewater treatment, and to highlight its potential to improve soil quality and sequester carbon, explained Dr. Suhur Saeed, Water Management Lead, EMRQ.

Researchers at ExxonMobil have been examining a variety of organic materials, including biochar – which, when added to soil, can improve soil productivity, encouraging plant life and crop cultivation, among other benefits – to identify ways to drive sustainability across diverse geographical and agricultural settings, for over two decades now.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr Asfaw Bekele, Research Advisor, Technology and Engineering, Imperial Oil, Canada, drew attention to the value of biochar in land reclamation (converting barren land into a productive state) and land remediation (removing harmful materials from the soil). “Part of our research looked into the use of biochar to improve