Husk Ventures

Husk Ventures operates as a social enterprise focused on the agricultural sector in Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia. The company was co-founded in 2017 by Heloise Buckland and Carol Rius, who established operations in both Barcelona, Spain, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Richard Kendall later joined the founding team in 2019. The founders' backgrounds in sustainability, social innovation, and business spurred the creation of a model to address the interconnected challenges of soil degradation, poverty, and climate change affecting smallholder farmers. Heloise Buckland, the CEO, has two decades of experience in social innovation and sustainability, having worked on projects for international organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations Environment Program.

The core of Husk Ventures' business is converting agricultural waste, specifically rice husks, into high-value biochar-based products. This is achieved through a smokeless process called pyrolysis, which involves the thermal decomposition of the husk in a low-oxygen environment. This process transforms an underutilized byproduct, which is often burned or left to decompose and release greenhouse gases, into a stable form of carbon that regenerates soil. The company established the first biochar production facility within a rice mill in Cambodia, adhering to European Biochar Certification standards. Its business model is designed as a circular economy, targeting smallholder farmers who face challenges from depleted soils and the high cost of chemical inputs.

Revenue generation for Husk Ventures is twofold. The primary stream comes from the direct sale of its products through both B2B channels, like agricultural cooperatives and distributors, and B2C channels. A second, crucial income source is the sale of carbon removal credits. By sequestering carbon in the soil for at least 100 years, the company can sell these credits, which helps make its biochar products more affordable for its target clients, many of whom have limited daily incomes. This dual-revenue strategy underpins the financial viability of its social mission. The company has received funding from various entities, including a €40,000 investment from the Open Value Foundation for equipment and a significant $5 million investment in May 2024 from Mekong Enterprise Fund IV to facilitate expansion.

Husk Ventures offers a range of products tailored to improve soil health and crop yields. These include pure organic biochar to enhance soil structure and water retention; carbon-based fertilizers (CBF) and a granulated biofertilizer (ONIX P9) that blend biochar with essential nutrients; and a natural insect repellent (NIR), which is a byproduct of the pyrolysis process. Farmers using these products have reported yield increases averaging 20-40% and a reduction in chemical fertilizer use by up to 50%. The application of biochar improves soil porosity, nutrient retention, and microbial activity, leading to more resilient and productive agricultural land.

Keywords: biochar production, regenerative agriculture, circular economy, carbon removal credits, smallholder farmers, soil regeneration, agricultural waste, pyrolysis technology, sustainable farming, social enterprise, Cambodia, Southeast Asia, rice husk, carbon-based fertilizer, soil health, climate resilience, impact investing, agritech, crop yield improvement, natural pesticides