Founded in Brazil in 1986 and now based in Paris, the organization Pro-Natura International (PNI) aims at initiating, developing and monitoring projects for the protection of the environment and the socio-economic development of rural communities in developing countries, in compliance with the conclusions of the 1992 Rio Conference of the United Nations and other important conventions on biodiversity, climate change and desertification. Participatory rural development is at the core of the strategy of PNI, which created an Institute for participatory sustainable development in Nigeria with the support of the French and English Cooperation. PNI's actions for the diffusion of agroforestry and sustainable agriculture target countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia where these approaches represent a key contribution to food safety. PNI also promotes the conservation of biodiversity: its Arboglisseur was for instance a key component in the 2006 SANTO expedition which involved more than 200 participants (including 163 scientists) from 25 different countries. PNI has also developed the innovative technology of "green charcoal", which gives to the households in developing countries a new source of energy alternative to wood charcoal but which is clean, renewable and very competitive compared to traditional charcoal. Since 2008, PNI also promotes the use of green charcoal as biochar (i.e. soil amendment complementary to traditional fertilizers) and has started a pilot project on its main green charcoal production site in Ross Bethio, Senegal. Besides their direct advantages for the farmers, these trials also contribute to the scientific research on biochar, since they are supervised by recognized experts in the field such as Dr. Bruno Glaser from Bayreuth University (Germany), and are presented in international meetings such as the International Biochar Conference held in Newcastle in September 2008.