Tsavo communities to benefit from Sh20.8 billion plan targeting jobs, tourism and wildlife protection

Tsavo communities to benefit from Sh20.8 billion plan targeting jobs, tourism and wildlife protection - Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano speaks at the launch of the Thamani Asili Programme at Tsavo West National Park on October 21, 2026. (Photo: KWS)

The 10-year Thamani Asili Programme targets 31 counties, with plans to create 22,800 jobs, protect millions of hectares and boost community livelihoods through nature-based businesses.

Communities living alongside wildlife in Taita Taveta and other parts of the Coast are set to benefit from a Sh20.8 billion conservation programme aimed at creating jobs, protecting natural resources and expanding nature-based businesses.

The 10-year Thamani Asili Programme, launched at Tsavo West National Park on Wednesday, targets 31 counties and seeks to create thousands of jobs through tourism, sustainable grazing and other businesses linked to nature.

The initiative aims to create 7,800 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs, with about 1.6 million people expected to benefit directly.

Another 3.9 million people could benefit from improved land management, stronger protection of natural resources and economic opportunities linked to conservation.

In the Tsavo-to-Coastal landscape, the programme will focus on improving ecosystem management, strengthening responses to human-wildlife conflict, protecting key water sources and supporting businesses run by local communities.

The measures are intended to help people and wildlife coexist while creating opportunities for residents to earn a living from activities that protect the environment.

Latest Stories

  • Africa faces its widest-ever Ebola outbreak as DR Congo cases near 10,000 and new infections emerge
  • UN condemns drone strikes killing civilians and damaging critical infrastructure in Sudan
  • AU marks 40 years of African Charter on Human Rights with renewed commitment
  • ‘We want to go home’: Congolese refugees face desperate conditions in Burundi camp

However, the programme's success will depend on how effectively the plans are implemented and whether the benefits reach communities living closest to wildlife.

The initiative is backed by US$160 million, with the Government of Kenya committing US$80 million and conservation partners contributing an equivalent amount.

The partners include the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), The Nature Conservancy and Enduring Earth.

The funding will support conservation efforts across four priority landscapes: Tsavo to Coastal, Greater Ewaso, Greater Rift to Western and Southern Kenya.

Under the programme, about 2.7 million hectares of land are expected to be brought under conservation, while the management of 11 million hectares of existing conservation areas will be improved.

Communities will also receive support to manage an additional six million hectares.

Beyond protecting wildlife, the programme identifies tourism, sustainable grazing, carbon initiatives and other nature-based businesses as potential sources of income for local communities.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano launched the programme at Tsavo West National Park in Taita Taveta County.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano arrives at Tsavo West National Park for the launch of the Thamani Asili Programme on October 21, 2026. (Photo: KWS)

Kenya Wildlife Service Director-General Erustus Kanga said communities should be recognised as central to conservation efforts and should benefit from the wildlife and natural resources they help protect.

“Our communities are not separate from conservation; they are its heart,” Kanga said, stressing the need for people living alongside wildlife to benefit from its value.

The Nature Conservancy's Regional Managing Director for Africa, Ademola Ajagbe, said the programme should be judged by its impact on people's lives rather than the amount of money invested.

He pointed to the potential for more secure livelihoods for herders, employment opportunities for young people and support for women seeking to establish businesses.

The funds will be administered through the newly established Thamani Asili Fund for Kenya, an independent conservation trust fund responsible for managing and distributing the money and tracking progress against the programme's targets.

The programme is also expected to help avoid about 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2035.