Pastoral communities engaged in wildlife conservation initiatives, are set to benefit from the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund (WCTF), which is expected to be rolled-out in December this year.
The fund seeks to mobilize resources for ecological conservation while improving the livelihoods of communities involved in protecting wildlife and restoring degraded landscapes, with a special focus on women and youth.
In Laikipia County, women’s groups involved in eradicating the invasive Opuntia stricta, commonly known as prickly pear cactus, from degraded rangelands are among the communities that could benefit from the initiative.
WCTF Chief Executive Officer, Caroline Tullo, speaking in Nanyuki, Monday, during a stakeholders’ engagement with conservancies associations on the development of the WCTF strategic plan, said the Fund would prioritize capacity building for young people involved in conservation activities in Laikipia.
Tullo said the initiative would equip youth with technical skills to strengthen their participation in conservation and improve their contribution to environmental protection.
“Focus for communities in Laikipia is mainly to support the youth who are undertaking conservation across the landscape. The Fund will support capacity building for these youth through the provision of technical skills,” she said.
Beyond improving community livelihoods, the Fund will also support initiatives aimed at addressing the growing challenge of human-wildlife conflict.
“The Fund will support conservation initiatives, including human-wildlife conflict mitigation and research,” Tullo added.
WCTF Board Member, George Mosiori, said the Fund’s primary objective was to mobilize resources for wildlife conservation, noting that the strategic plan would guide the identification of priority areas and determine how support would be directed to stakeholders.
Francis Ole Nantiri from Lerukuruki Conservancy in Laikipia, welcomed the initiative, expressing optimism that it would help communities address land degradation, human-wildlife conflict and the financial challenges facing community conservancies.
Nantiri also called for timely compensation for victims of human-wildlife conflict, noting that recurring incidents continue to affect local communities and their livelihoods.
He said sustainable financing would be critical in strengthening community conservancies and enabling them to continue protecting wildlife and restoring degraded rangelands.
WCTF seeks to promote long-term ecological sustainability while supporting the protection of Kenya’s wildlife and natural heritage for present and future generations.
The Fund is a government financing mechanism established under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013 (Cap. 376), to mobilize and provide financial resources for wildlife and biodiversity conservation and management.
by Muturi Mwangi.
