** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** DROUGHT AND NUTRIENT LIMITATIONS IN SEMIARID SOILS POSE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION BY CREATING DESIGNER BIOCHARS ENRICHED WITH ANIMAL MANURES THAT CAN IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH, FERTILITY, AND DROUGHT RESILIENCE. THE RESEARCH WILL INVESTIGATE HOW CO-APPLYING OR PRE-INCUBATING BIOCHAR WITH MANURE AFFECTS SOIL NUTRIENT DYNAMICS, PARTICULARLY PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY, AND HOW THESE AMENDMENTS IMPACT CROP GROWTH UNDER DIFFERENT MOISTURE LEVELS. THE PROJECT WILL USE LOCALLY AVAILABLE WASTE BIOMASS, SUCH AS INVASIVE PLANTS AND WOOD WASTE, TO PRODUCE COST-EFFECTIVE BIOCHARS USING A PORTABLE KILN. THE FINDINGS WILL BE SHARED WITH FARMERS, RANCHERS, AND BIOCHAR PRODUCERS THROUGH WORKSHOPS, FIELD DAYS, AND ONLINE RESOURCES TO PROMOTE THE ADOPTION OF BIOCHAR-MANURE AMENDMENTS AS A CLIMATE-SMART SOIL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. BY ENHANCING SOIL QUALITY AND CROP YIELDS IN WATER-SCARCE REGIONS, THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTES TO SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, AND CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE IN SEMIARID AGROECOSYSTEMS.