The Kenyan government unveiled a KSh20.8 billion, US$160 million Thamani Asili Programme on Wednesday, aimed at financing wildlife conservation, ecosystem protection and community development over the next ten years.
Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano announced that the initiative will be funded equally by the government and philanthropic donors, each contributing US$80 million, and will be administered by the newly created Thamani Asili Fund for Kenya.
The programme targets 31 counties and seeks to establish about 2.7 million hectares of new conserved areas, improve management of 11 million hectares of existing conservation lands and enable communities to manage an additional six million hectares.
Direct benefits are projected for roughly 1.6 million people, with an estimated 3.9 million more gaining indirect advantages through better land governance, natural resource management and nature-based economic opportunities.
The initiative is expected to create around 7,800 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs, supporting livelihoods in ecological tourism, sustainable grazing, carbon projects and other green enterprises.
Kenya Wildlife Service Director General Erustus Kanga highlighted that the programme links wildlife protection with the preservation of community cultures, livelihoods and heritage.
Thamani Asili also aims to avoid about 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2035, contributing to Kenya’s Paris Agreement commitments and supporting long-term economic resilience.
The project is part of the Project Finance for Permanence model, a partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Enduring Earth, and aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and national climate and biodiversity targets.
