Background
Côte d’Ivoire, a rapidly developing country in West Africa, faces growing environmental pressures driven by urbanization, population growth, and climate change. Waste management has emerged as a critical challenge, particularly in urban centers such as Abidjan, where approximately 1.2 million tons of solid waste are generated each year. Nationally, around 5 million tons of waste are produced annually, with urban areas accounting for a large share. However, only about 60% of urban waste is collected, leaving significant quantities to be disposed of in uncontrolled landfills or open spaces. These inadequate waste management practices contribute to soil and water pollution and pose risks to public health.
Environmental degradation is further exacerbated by the widespread use of traditional charcoal, which remains the primary source of energy for roughly 70% of households in rural areas. The charcoal industry is a major driver of deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire, contributing to the loss of approximately 200,000 hectares of forest each year. This deforestation not only threatens biodiversity but also increases greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions linked to unsustainable waste disposal. Addressing these interconnected challenges is therefore essential for both environmental protection and climate change mitigation.
In response, the Government of Côte d’Ivoire has committed to strengthening climate action under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement. Among the priority strategies are improving waste management systems and promoting sustainable energy alternatives. Biochar, produced through the pyrolysis of organic materials such as agricultural residues, offers a promising solution by converting organic waste into a valuable product that can reduce pressure on forests while improving soil fertility and agricultural productivity. However, biochar production in Côte d’Ivoire remains limited and largely artisanal.
CTCN Support
CTCN will provide technical assistance to support the development of a sustainable biochar production system in Côte d’Ivoire, adapted to local conditions and available feedstocks. The support will focus on designing suitable biochar production processes using agricultural residues and other organic waste, and developing technical guidelines for production systems that are environmentally sustainable and operationally feasible.
In addition, the CTCN will strengthen local capacities for biochar production and application through targeted training and knowledge-sharing activities. This will include building technical skills among key stakeholders through hands-on training, laboratory-scale experimentation, and exposure to continuous biochar reactor operations.
Expected Outcome
The expected outcome of the CTCN technical assistance is a strengthened national capacity in Côte d’Ivoire to develop and implement sustainable biochar production from agricultural residues. Through improved technical knowledge, appropriate production process design, and stakeholder training, the project will enable key institutions and practitioners to adopt and scale biochar technologies. This will support more sustainable waste management practices, reduce pressure on forest resources by providing an alternative to traditional charcoal, and contribute to improved soil fertility, climate change mitigation, and resilient agricultural systems.
