Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India — Special Service and Features · PIB Thiruvananthpuram · Read the original release on pib.gov.in
150+ community members to be trained in three batches, joined by around 50 forest staff, government officials and community representatives, from 06–09 October 2026
The EIACP Programme Centre (PC) RP at WWF-India, New Delhi, under the Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme (EIACP) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India, will organise a Capacity Building Programme on “Biochar Production from Invasive Species and Livelihood Generation in Forest Landscapes, Kerala” from 06 to 09 October 2026 at Muthanga Forest Station, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala. The programme is sponsored by MoEF&CC.
Organised in collaboration with The Shola Trust, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and WildCarbon, the programme will bring together more than 200 participants:
• 150+ trainees in three batches of 50+, drawn from tribal communities, forest-dependent communities, local communities and smallholder farmers living in and around Tiger Reserves, Forest Department areas and adjoining villages; and
• around 50 forest staff, government officials and community representatives, including frontline staff of Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, officials of the Kerala Forest Department and local community leaders, who will support field demonstrations and help take the practice forward in their areas.
Invasive species such as Lantana camara have spread across large parts of the Western Ghats, suppressing native vegetation, reducing fodder for wildlife and increasing fire risk. The programme will show how this biomass, often cleared and discarded, can be converted into biochar: a stable, carbon-rich material that improves soil health and water retention and can be sold or used on farms.
Each two-day batch will combine classroom sessions with field demonstrations. Participants will learn to:
• identify invasive species and collect biomass sustainably, focusing on Lantana and other suitable biomass;
• prepare biomass and produce biochar using low-cost pit, drum and kiln methods;
• handle, quench and collect biochar safely;
• apply biochar in agricultural and agroforestry systems; and
• assess its environmental and economic benefits, including reduced dependence on external farm inputs and income opportunities.
The three batches will focus separately on participants from Tiger Reserve areas, Forest Department areas and local/forest-dependent communities. Content will be adapted to local forest conditions, available biomass and livelihood needs.
The programme will be led by Dr. G. Areendran, Programme Coordinator, EIACP Programme Centre, WWF-India; Tarsh Thekaekara, The Shola Trust; Smitha M., PhD, WildCarbon; and Ms. P. Mullai, Senior Coordinator, Community Conservation, Western Ghats Nilgiris Landscape, Coimbatore. They will be supported by the EIACP Programme Centre team, in collaboration with The Shola Trust, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and WildCarbon.
“Invasive species are one of the quietest threats to our forests. This programme puts practical, low-cost skills in the hands of the communities who live closest to these landscapes, so that restoration and livelihoods go together,” said Dr. G. Areendran, Programme Coordinator, EIACP Programme Centre, WWF-India.
The programme supports forest landscape restoration, soil improvement, skill development and community-based green livelihoods, in line with the objectives of EIACP and MoEF&CC’s Mission LiFE.
About EIACP: The Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme (EIACP) of MoEF&CC builds environmental knowledge, skills and green livelihoods through a network of Programme Centres and Resource Partners across India, including the EIACP Programme Centre at WWF-India, New Delhi.
This is an official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), reproduced as issued.
