Nairobi:Kenya is seeking to place wildlife conservancies at the heart of a new financing framework that could reshape how conservation funding is mobilized, prioritized, and channeled to areas where it is most needed. The initiative is progressing through consultations to develop a strategic plan for the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund (WCTF), with conservancy representatives in Taita Taveta County urging the architects of the plan to make funding responsive to realities on the ground.
According to Kenya News Agency, Caroline Tullo, Head of the Secretariat of the WCTF, stated that the consultations aim to capture the priorities of conservation stakeholders and provide direction for the Fund as it develops its operational and policy framework. Tullo emphasized the importance of integrating community views to address real challenges and benefit communities in and outside conservancies.
The Fund is tasked with mobilizing resources from government, tourism, development partners, the private sector, and other sources to support wildlife conservation. Its scope covers national parks, reserves, and conservancies, focusing on addressing documented gaps and supporting conservation initiatives. The State Department for Wildlife considers giving conservancies a voice crucial, as the framework will influence how conservation priorities are translated into funding decisions.
Charles Ombuki, Director of Planning at the State Department for Wildlife, highlighted the critical role of conservancies in shaping the policy direction of the Fund. The emphasis on conservancies reflects their growing role in Kenya’s wildlife conservation landscape, where communities and private landowners increasingly share responsibility for protecting habitats and wildlife beyond national parks and reserves.
Taita Taveta County exemplifies this role, with approximately 24% of its land under 32 conservancies. These areas face substantial financial demands for maintaining ranger operations, protecting habitats, and supporting communities whose livelihoods are linked to wildlife and conservation.
The strategic planning process aims to establish not only where conservation money should go but also what different conservation areas need, how those needs should be prioritized, and how funds can reach beneficiaries. Lazarus Mulwa, lead consultant from the University of Nairobi Enterprise Services (UNES), mentioned that the team is gathering views through focus group discussions to incorporate them into the final document.
The consultations are expected to explore the financial requirements of conservancies, potential funding sources, and access processes. Conservancies seek a strategy that offers a predictable and accessible financing system responsive to the diverse realities of conservation areas. Representatives like Wabosha Kamata from Rukinga Ranch and Andrea Mwiilole from Lualenyi Ranch emphasized the need for funding frameworks that recognize operational realities and reflect the different needs of individual conservancies.
As Kenya works towards sustainable financing for wildlife conservation, the strategic plan under development will determine how resources are mobilized, directed, and ultimately, how effectively they support the people and landscapes crucial to the country’s wildlife conservation efforts.
