Since its establishment back in 2010, Čačak-based enterprise Basna has been pursuing its vision of applying sustainable environmental technologies in Serbia, relying on existing resources, innovative technologies and scientific breakthroughs
According to company owner Vesna Baur, relations towards employees, the environment, the community and the market represent Basna’s greatest value, as it is also reflected in its offer of innovative solutions that provide a positive contribution to combat climate change.
You deal in the production of European Certified Biochar (EBC) using pyrolysis technology, which satisfies stringent quality requirements, thanks to which it has broad applications. What is it used for?
The EBC certificate guarantees the sustainable production of biochar. It was introduced in order to provide customers with a reliable standard of quality, while providing us manufacturers with the opportunity to demonstrate that our products satisfy well-defined, rigorous and recognised standards. Biochar is featured on the list of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) as a technology that should be incentivised in the struggle to combat global warming. Thus, this is a product with a recognised and confirmed value that has broad applications in agriculture, livestock farming, anaerobic digesters, construction etc.
Through the application of biochar in general, you transfer CO2 from the air in the soil where it improves soil fertility and acts as a carbon sink for centuries, For example, in agricultural application we combat one of the most difficult and severe environmental problems: the loss of humus and organic matter on arable land. Apart from increased plant yields, there are also many other positive effects, such as preventing the leaking of nitrate and pesticides into the groundwater and also saving irrigation water.
Our main focus lies on biochar as animal feed additive. Studies and our own experiments have shown that biochar absorbs a wide array of mycotoxins and pesticides from animal fodder and bacterial toxins from the animal’s stomach. And the manure will still contain the Biochar and can have positive plant growth enhancing effects.
Biochar is a product with a recognised and confirmed value that has broad applications in agriculture, livestock farming, anaerobic digesters, construction etc.
You are known as someone who doesn’t accept anything less than the best and strives to be among the first when it comes to innovations. Can we expect something new soon?
I would firstly like to emphasise our respect for the basic postulates of corporate social responsibility. Our relations towards employees, the environment, the community, the market represent our greatest value. In 2020, we received the Đorđe Vajfert National Award for Corporate Social Responsibility, which was awarded to us by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce & Industry. This recognition also represents a promise that our daily operations will always promote true values. This also relates to our offer of innovative solutions that provide a positive contribution to the fight against climate change. That’s something we work on continuously.
Our latest innovation is a mixture of enzymes and biochar, which increases the milk yield by three litres per cow per day. In that way, Biochar will clearly increase the profit for the farmer, while the struggle against climate change becomes profitable.
You are also at the helm of the Nadežda Petrović Association. Is every woman a little bit Nadežda?
The Nadežda Petrović Association has existed and operated for 12 years. It comprises business women from the city of Čačak – both entrepreneurs and women in managerial positions. The association is recognised as a trusted partner in the implementation of a large number of projects that are led by state institutions and NGOs and have the common goal of empowering women for a safer and fairer society.
We proudly carry the name of Nadežda Petrović – a woman who always wanted more than herself and who pursued her interests tenaciously. Her life symbolises self-initiative, courage and fearlessness. She was a woman of exceptional energy who led the way in everything and always inspires us. Yes, we can recognise Nadežda in every woman.