HUSK
Presentation
One third of the world’s soils are already degraded and climate change is exacerbating this, with erosion, loss of topsoil and extreme temperatures increasing the risk to global food security. Our ability to regenerate soils, by increasing water holding capacity, reducing nutrient run off and limiting the use of chemical inputs, are thus becoming critical issues, in the garden, in the city and in agriculture. HUSK considers biochar to be one of the most viable solutions not only for improving our soils but also addressing climate change through carbon removal.
Solution
HUSK is an impact driven startup that transforms agricultural waste (rice husks in this case) into biochar-based fertilizer to regenerate soils and capture carbon. Their first operation is in Cambodia with a unique model to transform rice husk into carbon based fertilizer (150 million tons of rice husks are produced each year which are usually burnt generating CO2 emissions and this is avoided through HUSK’s unique circular economy solution). The startup installs pyrolysis technologies into the rice sector, to produce agri-inputs which boosts soil fertility, increases farmers' income and sequesters carbon. HUSK has to date sequestered 500 tons of carbon and is seeing an average 30% increase in yield for farmers using their products.
Key advantages
HUSK is committed to help rural communities to become more climate resilient. Biochar makes crops more resilient to climatic hazards by improving water holding capacity, nutrient absorption and fertilizer efficiency, and stimulating microbial activity in the soil. HUSK has pioneered a unique viable, impactful solution in Cambodia and is now ready to scale this model to other rice growing regions. For every ton of biochar produced, HUSK sequesters 1.34 tons of CO2 and is one of the first companies to sell certified biochar carbon credits on the voluntary market.
Facts & Figures
HUSK was co-founded in Barcelona in 2017 by Heloise Buckland and Carol Rius.The company has 18 employees. HUSK operates in SE Asia and is preparing for a second installation in the Mediterranean. Over 200 hectares of soil have been regenerated and 300 farms currently benefit from the solutions offered by HUSK. HUSK was selected as one of 10 social enterprises globally to receive the Innovations Against Poverty Award in 2021 from the Swedish Development Agency.
www.huskventures.com
Interview
HUSK