Pro-Natura International

What Pro-Natura International does

Pro-Natura International is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 1989 and registered in London (29 Downside Crescent, NW3 2AN) with French-language operational roots and a correspondence address in Dampierre-en-Yvelines, France. The organization works to address the social, economic, and environmental challenges facing rural communities in developing countries, with operations documented across more than a dozen countries spanning South America (Brazil), Africa (Nigeria, Mozambique, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Sahelian regions, Haiti), Asia (Laos, China, Papua New Guinea), the Pacific (Vanuatu), and Europe (UK). Its programs center on participatory development, sustainable agriculture and agroforestry, biodiversity conservation through scientific expeditions, and biomass energy.

The organization's product and technology portfolio is built around three pillars. First, biochar/green charcoal technology: Pro-Natura has been developing biochar production innovations since 2002, including the CarboChar prototype and pyrolytic cookstoves that convert biomass into renewable fuel and soil amendment, with the dual purpose of reducing deforestation/indoor air pollution and sequestering carbon. Second, the Super Potager (Super Vegetable Garden), an intensive gardening system designed to combat malnutrition and provide economic alternatives in developing communities. Third, the Canopy-Glider (Arboglisseur), specialized equipment for forest canopy exploration used in biodiversity research expeditions such as Santo 2006 (Vanuatu) and Papua New Guinea 2012. The organization is an IUCN member and has partnered with the State of Amazonas and Grosso do Mosacio on the ENMAZON biodiversity corridor, covering 70,000 km² (approximately 10 million hectares, or 15% of the Brazilian Amazon).

The revenue model is donation and membership-based, with no commercial product sales. Individuals can join for €40/year and students for €20/year, both carrying 66% French tax deductibility; corporate memberships are available with 60% tax deductibility. Donations are processed via PayPal and mail under the French patronage law (January 18, 2005). Pro-Natura is led by President Guy F. Reinaud and operates with 11–50 staff supported by a deployable network of in-house and third-party experts and a world-class Advisory Board. Marketing and supporter engagement run primarily through the bilingual website (pronatura.org), email newsletters (archived from 1999 to 2022), social media, Vimeo/YouTube videos, and earned press coverage in Les Échos, La Tribune, Le Point, NY Times, New Agriculturalist, and L'Espresso.

Name

Pro-Natura International

Legal name

Pro-Natura International

Website

https://pronatura.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pro-Natura International is a non-profit organization that develops and deploys biochar technology, sustainable agriculture programs, and biodiversity conservation initiatives to address poverty and environmental degradation in rural communities across developing countries, funded by donations and memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Development Programs

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Nursery and Tree Production (111421), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (11321)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regenerative Agriculture & Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) (EUABABAE), Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems (EUABABAD), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO)

Keywords

• Sustainable development programs
• Biodiversity conservation expeditions
• Biochar production technology
• Agroforestry and biomass energy
• Nonprofit development organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. In France, 66% of donation amounts are tax-deductible up to 20% of taxable income, with carryover possible for 5 years.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees: €40/year for individuals, €20/year for students. Corporate membership available with 60% tax deductibility up to 0.5% of revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pro-Natura International is a non-governmental organization that implements participatory sustainable development programs in rural communities of developing countries. It develops and disseminates biochar/green charcoal production technology (including pyrolytic cookstoves and the CarboChar prototype), the Super Potager intensive vegetable gardening system for combating malnutrition, and canopy exploration equipment (Canopy-Glider/Arboglisseur) for biodiversity research. Programs are delivered through training, field implementation, scientific expeditions, and partnerships with governments and local stakeholders.

Product overview

Pro-Natura International operates as a non-governmental organization focused on sustainable development in developing countries. The organization offers a portfolio of environmental products centered on biochar technology (green charcoal), which includes production technologies like CarboChar and pyrolytic cookstoves, along with food security solutions such as the Super Potager (Super Vegetable Garden). Additional offerings include canopy exploration equipment for biodiversity research. The portfolio is organized around three pillars: poverty alleviation through sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation through scientific expeditions and forest exploration, and climate change mitigation through biomass energy solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Super Potager: Super vegetable garden technology for food security
• Green Charcoal
• Foyers pyrolytiques
• Canopy-Glider / Arboglisseur

Products and services

• Biochar (Green Charcoal) Technology A sustainable biomass energy technology that converts organic waste into charcoal through pyrolysis, used as an alternative to traditional charcoal and as a soil amendment for agriculture in rural communities.
• CarboChar Biochar Production Prototype Biochar production technology prototype developed for converting biomass into renewable energy and soil enhancement products, deployed in Pro-Natura's biomass energy programs.
• Pyrolytic Cookstoves (Foyers pyrolytiques) Improved cooking technology that uses pyrolysis to produce cleaner-burning fuel, reducing deforestation and indoor air pollution in rural communities that rely on traditional charcoal.
• Super Potager (Super Vegetable Garden) Intensive urban and peri-urban gardening system designed to combat malnutrition and promote local food production in developing communities.
• Canopy-Glider (Arboglisseur) Specialized equipment for forest canopy exploration used in scientific expeditions for biodiversity research and conservation studies in tropical forests.
• Participatory Development Programs Integrated sustainable development services covering design and implementation of participatory programs, training of local project managers and government officials, sustainable agriculture and agroforestry promotion, SME creation and development, trans-frontier conservation area creation, environmental and social impact assessments, and tropical forest canopy exploration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 million hectares of Amazon forest under conservation through ENMAZON biodiversity corridor
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• State of Amazonas (Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the State of Amazonas for the ENMAZON biodiversity corridor program, covering 70,000 km² of the Brazilian Amazon. This flagship conservation initiative represents one of Pro-Natura's largest and most significant partnerships for biodiversity preservation and sustainable development on 10 million hectares.
• Grosso do Mosacio (Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Grosso do Mosacio on the Amazon biodiversity corridor initiative, working together on forest conservation and sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon region.
• International Network of ExpertscoreOthersPro-Natura maintains a network of in-house and third-party experts that can be deployed to build local capacity and implement integrated solutions across their program areas. This expert network is backed by a world-class Advisory Board.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GoodPlanet Foundation: French foundation working on sustainable development, climate, and biodiversity, with similar donor-supported model in France. Closely comparable on mission and on the French non-profit / patronage funding environment.
• Biochar International / International Biochar Initiative: Global membership organization promoting biochar as a soil amendment and carbon sink. Directly comparable on the biochar technology and carbon-sequestration dimensions of Pro-Natura's Green Charcoal / CarboChar work.
• World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF): Research-for-development institution focused on agroforestry, soil health, and smallholder livelihoods in developing countries. Closely comparable to Pro-Natura on agroforestry, food security, and participatory development, and a likely technical counterpart or competitor for grant funding.
• ProNatura Mexico (ProNatura, A.C.): Mexican conservation NGO of the same name and similar founding era, focused on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in Latin America. Although legally separate, it is the most directly comparable peer given the shared name, mission, and operational profile.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: One of the world's largest environmental NGOs, with significant work on forest conservation, sustainable agriculture, and climate. Operates across multiple continents and engages in large-scale conservation finance, similar to Pro-Natura's ambition.
• Rainforest Alliance: Global NGO working on sustainable agriculture, forestry, and biodiversity, with a strong certification/standards business. Highly comparable on the sustainable agriculture and forest conservation dimensions of Pro-Natura's work, though much larger and more commercially oriented.
• Conservation International: Major international conservation organization operating across tropical biodiversity hotspots with government and corporate partnerships. Comparable in mission (biodiversity, sustainable development) and partnership model (sovereign-level deals), but at a far larger scale.

Emerging players

• Carbon180: US-based NGO focused on natural and technological carbon removal, including biochar and soil carbon. Comparable on the biochar / soil organic carbon side of Pro-Natura's portfolio and a potential collaborator in carbon-removal advocacy.
• Woods Hole Research Center: Independent research institute focused on forest carbon, climate science, and tropical land use. Comparable in scale and in the science-meets-implementation profile of Pro-Natura's expedition and biochar programs.
• Compensation Carbonne et Communautes (Co2C) / similar Sahelian greening NGOs: Set of organizations working on Sahelian land restoration, agroforestry, and rural community development — directly comparable to Pro-Natura's 'Verdir le Sahel' programs. Sahel Consulting Group referenced as adjacent to the regional ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-natura-intl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pro-Natura International