About Us

our origins

Parallel South (fomerly Deep Carbon Africa) emerged from a shared obsession with carbon’s lifecycle. Where others see waste, we see potential. Our journey began with a simple truth: 4.5 billion tonnes of African biomass residue are burned or discarded annually – releasing methane, degrading soils, and accelerating climate change.

We exist to transform this crisis into opportunity through science-backed carbon burial.

Island Nations Focus

At the heart of our mission are vulnerable island nations. Our Mauritius pilot proves CDR can simultaneously:

  1. Improve soil fertility

  2. Boost crop yields by 15-30%

  3. Enable water desalination

Nature-First Philosophy

We reject one-size-fits-all solutions. Every intervention is built on three pillars:

  1. Localized Design
    Leveraging soil type, native plants, topography, and weather patterns unique to each region

  2. Circular Transformation
    Converting invasive species like water hyacinth and agricultural waste (cassava peels, peanut shells) into value

  3. Deep Carbon Burial
    Halting carbon’s return to the atmosphere through permanent sequestration

OUR CORE INITIATIVE

The Waste-to-Wealth Model

We transform organic residue into biochar, creating climate resilience from the ground up through:

  • Pyrolysis technology (oxygen-limited thermal conversion)
  • Farmer-centered training programs
  • Circular revenue streams for communities

Why Biochar?

Problem Solved Impact Created
Open-air burning & wildfires
7000+ tonnes carbon locked/year
Chemical fertilizer dependence
100% natural soil enrichment
Methane from composting
Emission reduction equivalent to 50,000 cars

GOVERNANCE & PARTNERSHIPS

We align with Africa’s climate future by:

  • Customizing CDR solutions to National Determined Contributions (NDCs)

  • Advising ministries on scalable carbon removal pathways

  • Partnering with IPCC scientists, UNICEF field experts, and AI innovators