BIOSORRA

BIOSORRA transforms crop waste into crop yield by producing a biochar soil improver that increases farm crops by up to 200% while sequestering CO2.

Team Leader

Ines Serra

We transform crop waste into crop yield by producing BIOSORRA, biochar soil improver that increases farm crops by up to 150% while sequestering CO2.

Solution Pitch

The Problem

Africa’s population will double by 2050, and with climate change threatening, there will be a food supply shortage that directly impacts malnutrition and sustainability while also increasing poverty. It is a vicious cycle of land degradation: unsustainable farming techniques leads to fewer crops, which lowers farmers’ incomes.

The Solution

BIOSORRA has developed an approach to supporting smallholder farmers to shift away from slash and burn techniques and towards sustainable techniques that will support increased food security across Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa.

Given BIOSORRA is carbon-negative and sequesters CO2 out of the atmosphere, BIOSORRA is able to provide carbon credits to companies that need to offset their CO2 emissions to comply with decarbonization regulations and provide a secondary revenue stream to financially sustain the scalability of BIOSORRA to other SSA countries.

Stats

BIOSORRA has directly impacted 150 farmers, along with their families. The average family has five people, thus 600 lives have been indirectly affected.
BIOSORRA improves air quality for everyone, due to the avoidance of slash and burn techniques.

Market Opportunity

Smallholder farmers in Kenya

TAM: 7.5M hectares of agricultural land - 6.3M farmers. SAM: 2.4M farms. SOM: 724 hectares - 604k farmers = 780M$ (agriculture contributes to 26% GDP).

Carbon credit companies - 1.46B$

2021 data: 95 MtCO2e +1000 companies net-zero targets (doubled in less than a year)

Organization Highlights

Strathmore Business School: Partnered for a two week academic program to learn how to do business in Kenya. They provide access to the agriculture research lab and Kenya Climate Action that is located in the university.
Obrobini Peace Complex: local representatives in Ghana, have executed the biochar serving 150 farmers.
WICCI Kenya: bilateral council India-Kenya that provides access to women farming. Their vision is to empower women and girls to embed them in economic, social and leadership spheres in all relevant sectors of the society with a particular focus on agriculture. BIOSORRA is currently in the first phase of the project in Kenya with them, to serve 150 women farmers.

Partnership Goals

BIOSORRA seeks:

Legal support / advice
Importing goods / services
Web and social media development
Strategy business model
Data collection from customers
Indigenous Technical, Finance, Legal Expertise

What is the name of your organization?

BIOSORRA

What is the name of your solution?

BIOSORRA

Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.

We transform crop waste into crop yield by producing BIOSORRA, biochar soil improver that increases farm crops by up to 150% while sequestering CO2.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Nairobi

In what country is your solution team headquartered?

Kenya

What type of organization is your solution team?

For-Profit

Film your elevator pitch.

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What specific problem are you solving?

Africa's population will double by 2050, and with climate change threatening, there will be a food supply shortage that directly impacts malnutrition and sustainability while also increasing poverty. It is a vicious cycle of land degradation: unsustainable farming techniques leads to fewer crops, which lowers farmers' incomes.

What is your solution?

BIOSORRA exists to support farmers and the climate. The solution breaks the cycle of land degradation by providing organic fertilizer (biochar) and training to farmers and farming cooperatives across Kenya. Biochar is a soil improver that harnesses the power of crop waste to increase yields and simultaneously capture carbon. BIOSORRA has developed an approach to supporting smallholder farmers to shift away from slash and burn techniques and towards sustainable techniques that will support increased food security across Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. Given BIOSORRA is carbon-negative and sequesters CO2 out of the atmosphere, BIOSORRA is able to provide carbon credits to companies that need to offset their CO2 emissions to comply with decarbonization regulations and provide a secondary revenue stream to financially sustain the scalability of BIOSORRA to other SSA countries.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

BIOSORRA exists to support smallholder farmers. We are launching in Kenya, where 2.4 million farms operate and 60% of the population relies on agriculture, contributing 26% of GDP. Harmful slash-and-burn practices, low productivity, and soil degradation contribute to a malnutrition rate of ~26% (WFP 2021). Our field observations identified acidic soils, desertification risk, and persistent water shortages. These challenges disproportionately affect low-income farmers earning approximately $1.60 per day, limiting yields and household income Biochar improves crop yields by up to 150%, reduces water use by 30%, increases income by 75%, and sequesters carbon. It is affordable, durable, and impactful (1 ton captures 3 tons of carbon). A byproduct of crop waste also provides clean cooking fuel Our impact extends beyond farmers to families and national food security. Long term, we will scale through a franchise model, training trusted women community leaders to operate BIOSORRA units locally

Organization Type: For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya

Stage: Pilot

Working In: Ghana, Kenya

Current Employees: 5

Solution Website: https://www.biosorra.com/

Solution Team:

Ines Serra
CEO and Founder