JORDAN BIOCHAR RESEARCH INITIATIVE (JBRI)

Sustainable agriculture and water productivity in Jordan need enhancement by integrating innovative methods, knowledge, and extension that allow stakeholders and farmers to evaluate the feasibility of new, user-friendly, and cost-effective technologies. The Jordan Biochar Research Initiative (JBRI) was initiated in Jordan in 2014 by Prof. Osama Mohawesh at Mutah University and Dr. Ammar Albalasmeh from Jordan University of Science and Technology, with "Support Research and Technological Development and Innovation Initiatives and Strategies in Jordan" funded from the European Union (EU-SRTDII). Several researchers with related expertise have joined the research efforts of JBRI, which is aimed primarily at improving our understanding of how biochar functions in modern agricultural systems. Moreover, several cooperation/projects were established with the University of Georgia, Texas Tech University with the support of Fulbright/Jordan: "Visiting Scholar" and "Paying it Forward". We see an intensive and broad-based scientific program providing essential background and knowledge in advance of advocating the large-scale use of biochar in soil. The main objective is to conduct a research program that aims to implement biochar use in agriculture to evaluate the benefits of biochar as a soil amendment to enhance nutrient and water use efficiency for different cropping systems in Jordan and demonstrate activities related to the use of biochar as a possible strategy to improving crop yield and reduce economic and health vulnerability to climate change.