Takachar, a social enterprise co-founded by Vidyut Mohan with Kevin Kung, has developed and deployed small-scale, portable technology designed to convert agricultural waste into high-value bio-products. In India, where approximately 23 million tonnes of rice straw are burned annually in the northern regions alone, this innovation provides a critical alternative to open-air incineration. The company’s tractor-mounted reactors enable in-situ processing of crop residues such as rice straw and coconut shells directly at the farm gate. By densifying loose, bulky biomassBiomass is a complex biological organic or non-organic solid product derived from living or recently living organism and available naturally. Various types of wastes such as animal manure, waste paper, sludge and many industrial wastes are also treated as biomass because like natural biomass these More into biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More, fertilizers, and biofuels, the technology integrates into existing agricultural workflows while reducing hazardous smog and carbon emissions.

The central challenge addressed by Takachar is the “biomass logistics paradox,” where the high costs of collecting and transporting bulky, low-density crop residue often exceed the material’s market value. For smallholder farmers in India, open-air burning is frequently the only economically viable method to quickly clear land for the next planting season, despite the resulting toxic haze that significantly reduces regional life expectancy. Centralized processing facilities typically remain inaccessible due to the $15 per acre transportation barrier, leaving rural communities shut out of the emerging bioeconomy and trapped in a cycle of environmental and economic loss.

To resolve this, Takachar utilizes an auto-thermal, oxygen-lean torrefaction process that operates without external fuel. The portable reactor roasts biomass at high temperatures in a controlled environment, expunging low-energy molecules to produce a carbon-rich residue. This decentralized solution lowers logistics costs by up to 75% by processing residues on-site rather than transporting raw waste to distant plants. Designed to be operated by village-level entrepreneurs, the system is modular and capable of handling diverse feedstocks, from pine needles in Uttarakhand to coconut shells in Southern India, with a throughput of up to one metric tonne per hour.

The implementation of Takachar’s technology has yielded substantial environmental and social outcomes, including a 95% to 98% reduction in smoke emissions compared to open burning. For participating farmers, the conversion of waste into marketable bioproducts can increase net income by up to 30% to 50% while improving crop yields by 25% through the use of biochar-based fertilizers. To date, the enterprise has processed over 3,000 tonnes of crop waste, avoiding significant CO₂-equivalent emissions. These efforts have been recognized globally, earning the Prince William Earthshot Prize and the XPRIZE for Carbon Removal, validating the model’s potential to remove gigatonnes of CO₂-equivalent at scale.