June 2025: CBEN Conference + Biochar Education Program

The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) and the Circular Bionutrient Economy Network (CBEN) are partnering to offer a multi-day biochar education and capacity-building program in Kenya in June 2025.

Event Information

The multi-day event features a new IBI Biochar Academy focused on business development (5 days), and culminates with the integration of a nutrient and carbon recovery-focused CBEN conference (2 days). Participants can either attend the entire 5-day event (Biochar Academy and CBEN) or they may just attend one of the events: Biochar Academy, 5 days or CBEN, 2 days.

The aims of the two events are to bring together large international stakeholders, smallholder farmers, project developers, biochar producers, carbon professionals, and an array of biochar and organic fertilizer industry professionals. Attendees can expect to:

• Develop knowledge and skills in biochar business development, covering challenges such as market expansion and carbon certification and sales
• Build community across the biochar and nutrient recovery industry at the regional and global scale
• Identify common regional challenges to biochar production and nutrient management, and work with a cohort to develop solutions
• Advocate and educate about biochar with cross-sector, international stakeholders
• Connect with representatives within project finance, standardisation, and research

Applications are now closed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When do I hear if I received financial aid?  Applicants will hear back throughout the month of April regarding their financial aid requests due to rolling application review.

2. I have applied but not heard back; is my application still in consideration? The event planning team is processing applications on a rolling basis. You will hear back regarding your application status by 18 April.

3. Can I bring my product to exhibit? Yes! There will be an exhibition table open all week and an outdoor pyrolysis exhibition on Wednesday, 4 June, barring no rain. Please reach out to circularbe.network@gmail.com for more information and pricing details.

About IBI and the Biochar Academy

Founded in 2006, the International Biochar Initiative provides a platform for fostering stakeholder collaboration, good industry practices, and environmental and ethical standards to support biochar systems that are safe and economically viable. As the global network for a rapidly-scaling biochar industry, IBI supports its 600+ members across 60 countries through networking, education, and demonstration initiatives. First launched in 2022, IBI’s Biochar Academy trains emerging biochar practitioners, companies, carbon project consultants, and other related stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop high-quality biochar products aligned with biochar’s scientifically-validated social, economic, and environmental potential. 

About CBEN 

Circular Bionutrient Economy Network (CBEN), is a community of practice working to reclaim nutrients and carbon from underutilised organic resources to produce agricultural amendments to improve soil health, livelihoods and food security. CBEN brings together researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, farmers and artists involved in different parts of the CBE value chain that would not normally meet and provides a platform for continuous solution-driven engagement. The network operates in the united vision that the shift to bio-nutrient circularity goes beyond science and business to include everyone’s understanding of their role in nature (“body and soil”) and the preservation of a viable planet. Energised by East-African-based working groups and annual events in 2024 and 2025, CBEN comprises over 100 individuals representing 50+ organisations from 14 countries, majority in Sub-Saharan Africa.