Production of activated carbon (AC) from agricultural byproducts is a research field that has gained increased interest in recent years because of its potential for the disposal of agro-residues. At the same time, a beneficial byproduct that can be used in a number of environmental applications is produced. This paper surveys the developments in the production processes of AC from agricultural byproducts in the past 7 years from 2005 to 2012 via conventional and microwave heating. Emphasis is placed on the applied methodology and the influences of activating conditions, such as carbonization temperature, retention time, and impregnation ratio. From the review of AC production processes, agricultural wastes produced by a chemical method with microwave heating can be a source of AC with relatively higher surface area than that produced via conventional heating. (c) 2013 Society of Chemical Industry