Cambodia faces critical challenges in soil degradation, heavy reliance on imported chemical fertilizers, and underutilization of organic agricultural waste. In 2021 alone, the country imported over 1.4 million tons of fertilizer, the vast majority being chemical-based. This trend has sidelined traditional soil enrichment practices like composting and has left vast amounts of biological waste untapped.
V-BIOCHAR aims to transform this challenge into an opportunity by integrating two powerful natural soil enhancers: biochar and vermicompost. Both improve soil fertility, enhance water and nutrient retention, and reduce dependence on chemical inputs — all while promoting a circular economy through the use of agricultural residues like rice husks and coconut shells.
A First-of-Its-Kind Solution for Pursat
While vermicomposting has shown success in previous projects, V-BIOCHAR takes it a step further by introducing a combined biochar-vermiculture approach, tailored to smallholder farmers. The project introduces pyrolysis technology — never before applied in Pursat province — to produce biochar using locally available materials and simple, low-cost kilns.
“The goal of the project is enhance soil health, increase crop yields, and open new business opportunities for youth and women farmers,” says Assoc. prof. Dr. Hynek Roubík from BRT, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, CZU.
Project Roadmap and Key Milestones
Over the next 12 months, V-BIOCHAR will roll out a comprehensive plan, including:
- Biochar Business Model Technology Transfer (Feb–Mar 2025): Establishment of a local demo site and testing of pyrolysis unit prototypes.
- Core Team Training (Apr–Jun 2025): CZU experts will train a local team of agriculture professionals and private-sector farmers.
- Business Leader Development (Mar–Oct 2025): Training of 12 local farmer-leaders in production, marketing, and financial strategies.
- Site Support & Market Development (Apr–Nov 2025): Business leaders will receive capital support and guidance to scale operations and market their products.
- Community Awareness & Household Promotion (Apr–Dec 2025): Outreach campaigns, school contests, and practical guides will encourage household adoption of vermi-biochar practices.
- Project Closure & Reporting (Jan–Feb 2026): Final reports and impact assessments will summarize outcomes and prepare for scale-up.
Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge and Networks
The project’s core beneficiaries are small-scale farmers from Pursat province — both those with previous experience in vermicomposting and newcomers seeking sustainable farming techniques. Gender equality is a cornerstone of the project, with 50% of participants expected to be women.
V-BIOCHAR will also build on existing networks of over 40 producer groups (PGs) to create multiplier effects through peer-to-peer learning. By training a local core group, CZU ensures that expertise is embedded within the community, enabling long-term dissemination and adaptation of climate-smart farming practices.
Sustainability and Long-Term Impact
Designed with scalability in mind, V-BIOCHAR emphasizes low-cost, replicable technologies and strong local partnerships. Through the integration of vermi-biochar practices into government extension services and ADRA Cambodia’s future programming, the project is poised to deliver lasting improvements in livelihoods, environmental resilience, and climate change mitigation.
International Collaboration Driving Local Innovation
The collaboration between CZU, ADRA Cambodia, and ADRA Czech Republic highlights the power of international cooperation in addressing global challenges at the local level. Each partner brings unique strengths: CZU’s scientific expertise, ADRA Cambodia’s local implementation experience, and ADRA Czechia’s oversight and project management capacities.
This project is following the successful V-Soil project:
Donor: UNDP Czech Challenge Fund
Coordinator: ADRA ČR
Local partner: ADRA Cambodia
Duration: 1.5.2025 - 31.4.2026
CZU Budget: 12000 USD
Website: will be added
CZU Team: Hynek Roubík, Jan Staš, BRT Team
