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Solidaridad and the International Biochar Initiative team up to cool a boiling planet

05 August 2026

Smallholder farmers across the Global South are on the frontlines of a changing climate. Yet, at the very same time, one of the most powerful solutions to combat this crisis lies right beneath their feet. By transforming residual agricultural biomass into biochar instead of burning it, farmers can create a powerful, life-enhancing soil amendment.

To bring this transformative technology to smallholders at scale, Solidaridad and the International Biochar Initiative (IBI) have officially joined forces. This global partnership bridges the gap between top-tier climate science and decades of on-the-ground farming experience.

Trainers demonstrate biochar’s properties after production during an IBI Biochar AcademyTM 

A Shared Vision for Safe, Credible and Scalable Biochar Systems

Solidaridad and the International Biochar Initiative have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to scale up biochar systems across the Global South. While IBI works to elevate biochar from a scientific niche into a safe, credible and mass-market climate change solution, Solidaridad brings deep community connections and decades of practical field expertise. Together, the two NGOs are focusing their collaboration on the following:

  • Knowledge Exchange: Sharing expertise on efficient kiln technologies, sustainable feedstock use and digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (dMRV) to make biochar production practical for smallholders.
  • Joint project development: Actively launch new farmer-centric pilots in priority countries.
  • Research & Data Collaboration: Gathering concrete field evidence on how biochar improves soil health and crop yields, linking local farmer insights directly to global scientific knowledge products.
  • Amplifying Smallholder Voices: Ensuring that the realities, needs and successes of smallholder farmers are represented broadly within the global biochar community and international policy discussions.
During a Solidaridad training, smallholder farmers in Tanzania are learning how to produce biochar © Solidaridad

Science Meets Practice: Building Resilience for Smallholders

Solidaridad currently runs biochar programs and partnerships across Uganda, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Kenya, Peru, Ghana, Zambia, Ethiopia, Mozambique, India, Tanzania, Malawi and Indonesia. With more than 50 training sessions conducted worldwide and more than 2,000 farmers trained, the organization brings a deep, practical understanding of what actually works on the ground. 

“Through this partnership, we are thrilled to gain access to the IBI educational trainings, collaborate on global advocacy for biochar and channel our practical field insights back into this high-level network of experts. This collaboration ensures that global scientific standards serve local livelihoods, helping farmers increase yields, lower input costs and build true climate resilience.”

Heske Verburg, Managing Director of Solidaridad Europe 

This is where IBI’s global reach comes in. To scale biochar to its full potential and meet global net-zero targets, the organization focuses heavily on open knowledge exchange and strategic partnerships. But they also act as a crucial advocate for the sector—making sure biochar remains recognized as an official negative-emissions technology in IPCC reports and championing the cause directly at international climate summits.

Our partnership with Solidaridad enables us to align our scientific concepts with the knowledge gained from projects involving thousands of farmers. Together, we can promote measures that benefit both farmers and the climate, thereby creating a resilient future for coming generations.

Luisa Marín de Block, Executive Director of IBI

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