Kenya has begun implementing the Thamani Asili program, an initiative valued at $160 million. The goal of this program is to attract sustainable funding for ecosystem protection, wildlife conservation, and local community development.
The State Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, stated that this ten-year program unites the efforts of the government and nature conservation partners. It aims to protect the country's natural heritage while simultaneously promoting improved living conditions for the population, ensuring water security, enhancing climate change resilience, and achieving stable economic growth.
Miano reported that under the agreement, the government has allocated $80 million, which is supplemented by a similar amount of philanthropic support collected through The Nature Conservancy and its partner Enduring Earth. These statements were made by Miano at Tsavo West National Park in Taita Taveta County, southeastern Kenya.
By utilizing the Project Finance for Permanence model, the Thamani Asili program creates a long-term foundation. This allows conservation activities to shift from short-term funding cycles to predictable investments, institutional accountability, and measurable results.
The initiative will support nature conservation across 31 counties, helping Kenya meet its goal of effectively managing at least 30% of its land, inland waters, and coastal ecosystems.
The program provides for the creation of approximately 2.7 million hectares of new protected areas, the improvement of management for existing 11 million hectares of conservation zones, and the expansion of community authority over an additional six million hectares.
According to Miano, the initiative is expected to directly benefit about 1.6 million people, while another 3.9 million people will benefit indirectly through improved land and natural resource management and the emergence of nature-based economic opportunities.
The investments will also create around 7,800 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs, opening up new prospects in ecotourism, sustainable livestock grazing, carbon initiatives, and other green enterprises.
The Director General of the Kenya Wildlife Service, Erustus Kanga, emphasized that successful conservation must protect both wildlife and the livelihoods, culture, and heritage of the communities living alongside it. Kanga noted that in Tsavo, conservation is not just about protecting wild animals, but also about preserving ways of life, respecting cultural heritage, and ensuring a future where people and wildlife thrive together.
Furthermore, Thamani Asili is expected to help avoid the emission of about 7.5 million tons of carbon by 2035, strengthening the link between nature conservation, climate action, and economic sustainability.