The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has launched a Ksh20.8 billion conservation programme targeting 7,800 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs over the next 10 years, as Kenya seeks to protect its wildlife and natural ecosystems while creating economic opportunities for local communities.
The Thamani Asili Programme was launched on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Tsavo West National Park in Taita Taveta County by Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano in partnership with conservation organisations, including The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Enduring Earth.
The initiative will cover 31 counties and is designed to secure long term funding for wildlife conservation, ecosystem protection and community development. It also seeks to strengthen water security, improve climate resilience and support economic activities that depend on the sustainable use of natural resources.
According to KWS, the programme will mobilise US$160 million, equivalent to approximately Ksh20.8 billion. The Government of Kenya has committed US$80 million, with an equivalent amount expected from philanthropic donors through The Nature Conservancy and its alliance partner, Enduring Earth.
The funding model is intended to provide more predictable financing for conservation instead of relying on short term grants that may not adequately support long-term environmental protection.
How the Programme Will Create Jobs
One of the main objectives of Thamani Asili is to ensure that conservation generates economic benefits for people living in areas where wildlife and human activities overlap.
The programme targets approximately 7,800 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs through ecotourism, sustainable grazing, carbon initiatives and other nature-based businesses.
Ecotourism can create employment in tourism related services, including guiding, accommodation and community tourism enterprises. Sustainable grazing initiatives can support livestock keepers by encouraging better management of pasture and rangelands, while carbon initiatives can provide opportunities linked to the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems.
The programme is expected to directly benefit approximately 1.6 million people. Another 3.9 million people could benefit through improved land governance, natural resource management and economic opportunities associated with conservation.
However, the employment figures are targets for the programme’s implementation period and do not represent jobs already created.
What the Programme Means for Wildlife and Communities
Beyond employment, Thamani Asili aims to expand and improve the management of conservation areas across Kenya.
Over the next decade, the programme targets the establishment of approximately 2.7 million hectares of new conserved areas. It will also support improved management of 11 million hectares of existing conservation areas and help communities manage an additional six million hectares of land.
Together, these measures cover approximately 17.3 million hectares of land and other landscapes targeted for conservation and improved management. The programme is intended to contribute to Kenya’s ambition of bringing at least 30 per cent of its land, inland waters and near-shore ecosystems under effective conservation and management.
The initiative also recognises the importance of communities living alongside wildlife. These communities often share landscapes with animals that can damage crops, threaten livestock and create safety risks, making the relationship between conservation and local livelihoods an important consideration.
By supporting community led conservation, better land use planning and sustainable economic activities, the programme aims to make protecting nature more compatible with the needs of people who depend on the same land and resources.
KWS Director General Erustus Kanga said conservation must protect not only wildlife but also the livelihoods, cultures and heritage of communities living alongside it.
The programme is also expected to contribute to Kenya’s climate commitments, including efforts to reduce emissions associated with land-use change and ecosystem degradation. Its stated target includes avoiding approximately 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2035.
Where Will the Programme Be Implemented?
Implementation will initially focus on four priority landscapes: Tsavo to Coastal, Greater Ewaso, Greater Rift to Western, and Southern Kenya.
These landscapes contain important wildlife habitats, water systems and community lands. The programme will support conservation activities across different types of land rather than focusing exclusively on national parks and reserves.
The initiative will be administered through the Thamani Asili Fund for Kenya, an independent conservation trust fund established to manage and distribute programme financing and track progress towards its objectives.
The programme brings together conservation financing, environmental protection and community development under a 10-year framework. Its intended outcomes include protecting biodiversity, supporting climate resilience and creating more opportunities for communities to benefit economically from the sustainable management of natural resources.
The extent to which these targets are achieved will depend on how the funding is deployed, how implementation is monitored and whether the expected employment and livelihood benefits reach communities across the 31 counties.
