Yopougon Biochar

Cargill

Cargill Cocoa, in partnership with Valorize Systems, is piloting a biochar initiative in Côte d’Ivoire that transforms cocoa processing residues into a stable soil amendment, closing the loop on processing waste. The project’s pyrolysis first unit is designed to produce around 700 metric tons of biochar per year—sequestering an estimated 1,250 tCO₂e annually—while enhancing soil structure, water retention, and nutrient availability on participating cocoa farms and neighboring plots. Under a formal end-use declaration, 100 percent of the biochar produced will be applied exclusively as a soil amendment on cocoa farms, with controlled trials conducted alongside the University of Edinburgh to validate agronomic benefits throughout the 2025 growing season.