Despite the abundance of Biochar, a cheap, eco-friendly alternative to the carbon-emitting charcoal, manufactured in Pategi, Kwara, the state government has failed to take advantage of its supplies and distribution at a time when the cost of cooking gas is so high and enforcement in lesser use of charcoal is on, Daily Independent has learnt.

A 12kg bottle of cooking gas now sells at N8,000 on the estimate in Ilorin, forcing many homes to revert to the use of coal and coal pots.

Although production of coal had put strains on forests, the Commissioner for Environment, Abosede Buraimoh, however, told the newspaper that state-wide distribution of Biochar was in their plans.

"We are doing things in phases" she explained to the newspaper.

Biochar is a product of the years of forest conservation work by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) in Patigi, North Central Kwara, which had been suffering vagaries of climate change on account of forest devastation in the area.

NCF is doing similar work in 16 other states apart from Kwara. Explaining how Biochar came about, Solomon Adefolu, Climate Change Lead with NCF, said that material was a product from rice husks which are in abundance in Pategi, part of the rice-producing belt of Nigeria.