Wayanad launches bold scheme to convert invasive weeds into soil conditioner
Wayanad’s forest authorities and partners trained two hundred locals, mostly tribal members, to convert invasive lantana weeds into biochar, successfully tackling an ecological threat while generating sustainable livelihoods and improving agricultural soil health.
Wayanad’s forest authorities and partners trained two hundred locals, mostly tribal members, to convert invasive lantana weeds into biochar, successfully tackling an ecological threat while generating sustainable livelihoods and improving agricultural soil health.
Wayanad’s forest authorities and partners trained two hundred locals, mostly tribal members, to convert invasive lantana weeds into biochar, successfully tackling an ecological threat while generating sustainable livelihoods and improving agricultural soil health.
Kalpetta: In a bid to tackle the rampant spread of the invasive Lantana camara while opening up sustainable livelihood avenues for forest-dependent communities, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has launched an innovative green initiative in Wayanad. As part of this program, 200 individuals - including 150 members of local tribal communities - were trained to convert the destructive weed into biochar.
Organised under the Ministry’s livelihood generation scheme, the workshop was held from the 6th to the 9th at the Muthanga Forest Station. The initiative is executed in collaboration with the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, the grassroots NGO The Shola Trust, and private enterprise Wild Carbon. Participants were mobilised through various local Eco-Development Committees (EDCs).
Previously, the Ministry and The Shola Trust had trained artisans from indigenous communities to craft life-sized wildlife sculptures from lantana stems. Moving forward, the newly trained workforce will be engaged in commercial biochar production. Forest Department officials stated that workers will be compensated through daily wages or a profit-sharing model. The sessions were led by Dr G Areendran (Coordinator, EIACP Programme Centre, MoEFCC, New Delhi), Tarsh Thekaekara, Dr M Smitha, and P. Mullai.
Turning an ecological threat into a local asset
The wildly invasive Lantana camara (locally known as Arippochedi) is widely regarded as one of the forest's worst adversaries. Proliferating into dense, impenetrable thickets, it suppresses the regeneration of native flora, starves herbivores of natural fodder, and disrupts the delicate equilibrium of the jungle. Curbing its spread is vital for forest conservation. Forest officials noted that this initiative creates a genuine win-win: it systematically eradicates the weed while providing a reliable source of income for tribal families and producing a valuable agricultural input.
What is Biochar?
- A natural soil conditioner: Biochar is a stable, charcoal-like substance used to enrich soil fertility and significantly boost crop yields.
- The process: It is produced through pyrolysis - burning lantana biomass at high temperatures in an oxygen-limited environment.
- Microbial habitat: Blended into farm soil, its porous structure creates an ideal microhabitat for beneficial soil microbes and fungi to thrive.
- Carbon sequestration: It effectively locks atmospheric carbon into the soil for hundreds of years, preventing it from escaping back into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.
- Soil health: It helps neutralise soil acidity, restoring degraded land for cultivation. For optimal results, biochar is applied mixed with compost or organic manure.