Feasibility study Iran: soil health business models with compost and biochar production

In early 2023, our betterSoil team in Iran launched the feasibility study in Kerman, where we collected biological waste and carefully processed it. The woody materials were transformed into high-quality biochar, meeting the stringent standards of the European Biochar Certificate, while the more nutrient-rich components were converted into premium compost. By combining these elements, we created a powerful soil amendment designed to improve soil structure and biology by boosting microbial life, and nutrient retention.

But that was just the beginning. The betterSoil Booster teemed with life. Millions of beneficial microorganisms, bacteria, and fungi thrived within it, ready to enrich agricultural lands and home gardens. Once applied to the soil, these microbes accelerate humus formation, boost soil health, and promote sustainable plant growth. With a carefully controlled production process, we ensured that the Booster is of high quality, free from harmful contaminants, and ready for organic and regenerative farming practices.

The idea: By bringing biochar-enriched compost to the market, we are helping farmers and gardeners revitalize their soils, increase crop yields, and contribute to a more sustainable food system.

We worked closely with local communities, established strong networks to suppliers of fruit and vegetable waste and found contacts to source more woody waste. Doing so, we laid the foundation for a sustainable supply chain to support the production of our Booster.

Each year, over 80% of biological waste, including food scraps, garden waste, and organic materials, is sent to landfills or openly burned. This leads to environmental pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and groundwater contamination. In many places, biowaste burning releases carbon dioxide and harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, worsening climate change.

As urbanization and population growth continue in Kerman, the demand for effective organic waste recycling is rising. By 2050, the population will grow, generating higher volumes of waste, further threatening the environment and public health. To combat this, we are expanding our efforts to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich materials, improving soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and sustainable agriculture.

Soil is the capital of farmers. They know their land, their climate, their plants and trees. At betterSoil, we combine this local, indigenous knowledge with the latest scientific findings. The climate is changing. Rain is less, less frequent and irregular. When it does come, it increasingly rains so much at once that flooding occurs. Good soil is washed away.

We talk to farmers and combine our four betterSoil principles to deliver the best results for our customers. Our betterSoil Booster combines compost and biochar for more humus formation. Packed with natural living microorganisms, bacteria and fungi, it makes soil come alive again.

We advise our customers to improve their farming methods so that the soil becomes healthier and the harvest increases. Plants and trees that grow in healthy soil are more resistant to climate change. The slow establishment of agroforestry systems also increases soil fertility, enhances biodiversity, provides shade for plants, and protects the climate.