Abstract:
Smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) encounter multiple livelihood challenges. Embracing circular bioeconomy principles, particularly considering agricultural and food processing residues, could enable inclusive, locally led, sustainable development pathways within rural communities. Biochar products are one such example of a bio-based material that can be generated using circular principles and deployed for sustainable community development, including among smallholder farmers. This research leverages empirical evidence from four SSA regions to explore the potential of inclusive and sustainable biochar business models, namely: (i) Northern Region, Ghana, (ii) Yamoussoukro, Côte d\'Ivoire, (iii) Casamance, Senegal, and (iv) Western Region, Uganda. Co-creation workshops using the Triple-Layered Business Model Canvas framework were carried out in each region with local stakeholders to evaluate the social, ecological, and economic implications of four locally relevant biochar applications: water filtration, biogas purification, soil amendment, and cooking fuel briquettes. Data was analysed at an aggregate level for all regions and applications. The study describes this consolidated biochar business model and examines the implications for SSA communities. The resulting sustainable bio-based business model can guide value chain actors and policymakers in SSA communities towards rural sustainable development with a better understanding of the needs, opportunities, challenges, and impacts of biochar-based value chain development.
摘要:
撒哈拉以南非洲(SSA)的小农面临多重生计挑战。拥抱循环生物经济原则,特别是考虑到农业和食品加工残留物,可以实现包容性,当地领导的,农村社区的可持续发展道路。生物炭产品是生物基材料的一个例子,可以使用循环原理生成并部署用于可持续社区发展。包括小农。本研究利用来自四个SSA地区的经验证据,探索包容性和可持续生物炭商业模式的潜力。即:(i)北部地区,加纳,(二)亚穆苏克罗,科特迪瓦,(三)卡萨芒斯,塞内加尔,(四)西部地区,乌干达。在每个地区与当地利益相关者一起开展了使用三层商业模式画布框架的共同创建研讨会,以评估社会,生态,和四个与当地相关的生物炭应用的经济影响:水过滤,沼气净化,土壤改良剂,和烹饪燃料煤块。对所有区域和应用的数据进行了汇总分析。该研究描述了这种综合的生物炭商业模式,并研究了对SSA社区的影响。由此产生的可持续的基于生物的商业模式可以指导SSA社区的价值链参与者和政策制定者朝着农村可持续发展的方向发展,并更好地了解需求,机遇,挑战,以及基于生物炭的价值链发展的影响。