Communities across Kenya are expected to gain new livelihoods and business opportunities through a US$160 million conservation initiative that combines philanthropic funding with government investment to support nature protection and local development.
The Thamani Asili Initiative was launched by the Government of Kenya and two non-profits, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Enduring Earth, in Taita Taveta on October 21.
Its financing model aims to raise US$80 million from philanthropy, matched by an equivalent US$80 million government contribution over 10 years.
1.6 million people will benefit directly, with a further 3.9 million potentially benefiting from improved land governance, natural resource management and economic opportunities.
Planned activities include ecotourism, sustainable grazing, carbon programmes and other nature-based businesses, with projections of 7,800 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs.
The funding is intended to support community participation in conservation, strengthen local decision-making over land and natural resources, and help reduce human-wildlife conflict.
The initiative also aims to create conditions for communities living alongside wildlife to benefit economically from the landscapes they help conserve.
“Thamani Asili strengthens community rights, voices and decision-making over land and resources, so people can conserve the places they depend on while also improving livelihoods, creating jobs and building stronger, more resilient local economies for the future,” said Ruth Masha, TNC’s country director for Kenya.
Over the next decade, the initiative aims to support conservation across approximately 17.3 million hectares, including establishing about 2.7 million hectares of conserved areas and improving management across 11 million hectares of existing conservation areas.
It also aims to help avoid approximately 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2035.
Implementation will initially focus on four landscapes: Tsavo to Coastal, Greater Ewaso, Greater Rift to Western and Southern Kenya.
The initiative will be administered by the newly established Thamani Asili Fund for Kenya, an independent conservation trust fund responsible for managing donor funding and tracking progress.
The model reflects an approach to conservation finance that seeks to combine philanthropic capital and public investment over a decade, linking long-term funding commitments with conservation goals and community livelihoods.
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