Erdi Pratama, a second-year D'Amore-McKim MBA student, is driven by a deep commitment to sustainability. As a Spring 2024 recipient of the Srinivasan Family Awards for Projects in Emerging Markets, Pratama has embarked on a transformative research journey that aims to tackle a pressing issue in his home country of Indonesia: agricultural waste management.
His project focuses on using biochar, a carbon-rich material, to offer sustainable solutions for waste while benefiting local farmers and the environment.
Growing up in Indonesia, Pratama witnessed firsthand the challenges of managing agricultural waste. “Paddy farmers often burn harvest waste, which causes air pollution and endangers both the environment and nearby drivers on highways,” Pratama recalls. This problem, coupled with the country's significant agricultural output, inspired him to seek sustainable alternatives. His exposure to carbon removal technologies during his sustainability class at D'Amore-McKim sparked his interest in biochar—a solution that not only manages waste but also enhances soil health. His market research aims to scale these solutions and benefit local farmers.
Through his research, he discovered the abundant availability of agricultural waste in Indonesia, such as rice husks and corn cobs, which can be transformed into biochar. This material can potentially improve soil quality while sequestering carbon, making it an appealing option for reducing environmental impact. However, Pratama quickly realized that the adoption of biochar faces significant challenges. “The biggest hurdle is educating farmers about its benefits and finding ways to overcome financial barriers to its use,” he explains.
The current market for biochar is still growing, but interest is building, especially among multinational companies seeking carbon credits in Southeast Asia.
To address this, he engaged with local stakeholders to provide education and explored funding options, including carbon credit sales and partnerships with corporate sponsors. “In Indonesia, most farmers are smallholders reliant on government subsidies, making it challenging to adopt new technologies like biochar,” he notes. Despite these hurdles, he remains optimistic that with proper education and funding models, biochar can become an accessible and valuable tool for these farmers.
Pratama's time in Indonesia offered him valuable insights into global sustainability challenges at a local level. “I saw firsthand how innovative solutions like biochar can address waste management issues while providing tangible benefits to farmers,” he says. His interactions with local communities shaped his understanding of the practical barriers to adopting new technologies. Despite initial skepticism, farmers' openness to learning about biochar motivated him to continue finding ways to make this technology more accessible.
Pratama aims to raise awareness about biochar's potential and launch pilot programs that show its effectiveness. In the long term, he envisions biochar becoming a widely adopted solution, helping Indonesia meet its carbon reduction goals and improving the livelihoods of local farmers. Looking ahead, he plans to share his research through webinars and collaborate with companies to scale up biochar projects, ensuring that this sustainable solution reaches those who need it most.