The partnership between the French greentech company NetZero and the Moroccan fund InnovX, a subsidiary of UM6P and a key player of OCP in innovation for food security and energy transition, marks a turning point in Africa. The two partners have launched a feasibility study to produce biochar from cashew shells in Côte d’Ivoire, a pioneering project for the development of the charcoal industry in sub-Saharan Africa.
**A strategic investment for climate and agriculture**
The recent fundraising of 7 million euros from InnovX, announced during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Rabat, supports this collaboration. NetZero, specialized in biochar production, aims to enhance the fertility of African soils through this product derived from agricultural residues by pyrolysis. Recognized by the IPCC for its carbon sequestration potential, biochar could improve agricultural yields while contributing to the fight against climate change.
**An ecological response suited to African soils**
Used as a soil amendment, biochar works by regulating acidity, increasing water and nutrient retention, which could boost yields by 25% in regions with poor soils and under water stress. InnovX and NetZero thus aim to sustainably integrate this technology into African agricultural practices to strengthen the resilience of agricultural systems against climatic events.
**An ambitious African expansion**
Supporting OCP’s African strategy, InnovX is expanding its footprint by partnering with NetZero to establish about ten factories internationally. Following the successful launch of a pilot plant in Cameroon and the establishment of automated units in Brazil, the two partners are now targeting Côte d’Ivoire for this first biochar production project in West Africa. InnovX and NetZero are also working on other feasibility studies across the continent and developing the second version of their technology for franchise deployment by 2025, allowing for simplified and rapid expansion.
This partnership, symbolizing OCP and its subsidiaries’ commitment to sustainable initiatives, confirms their ambition to transform African agriculture through innovative and ecological solutions.