Kenya Launches $160 Million Thamani Asili Plan to Fund Conservation for the Next Decade

Kenya's government, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Enduring Earth announced on 21 October the Thamani Asili Community Conservation Initiative, a US$160 million, ten-year effort to fund conservation across the country. The name means "value of nature" in Kiswahili.

Launched in Taita Taveta by Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, it uses a "Project Finance for Permanence" model, which aims to replace short-term project funding with long-term investment.

The money and the goals

• Funding: about $80 million to be raised from philanthropy, matched by $80 million from Kenya's government over ten years
• Area: about 17.3 million hectares, supporting Kenya's goal of conserving 30% of its land, inland waters and near-shore ecosystems
• Targets: roughly 2.7 million hectares of new conserved areas, better management of about 11 million hectares of existing ones, and conditions for communities to manage about 6 million more
• Climate: about 7.5 million tons of avoided emissions by 2035
• People: about 1.6 million direct beneficiaries and around 7,800 direct jobs

Money will flow through a new independent trust, the Thamani Asili Fund for Kenya, which will also track progress. Work will focus on priority landscapes including Tsavo to Coastal and Greater Ewaso.

Community-led approach

The plan emphasizes local land governance and reducing human-wildlife conflict through better livestock protection. "We know that when communities lead, conservation can deliver lasting results," said Ruth Masha, TNC's country director for Kenya.

What to know

These are targets and expected pledges, not funds already in the bank, and the philanthropic half still has to be raised. TNC lists dozens of expected donors, including the Rob Walton Foundation and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. It is the third such deal in Africa, following earlier TNC agreements in Gabon and Mongolia.