The Kenyan government announced a KSh20.8 billion conservation programme called Thamani Asili, unveiled on Wednesday by Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Enduring Earth.
The Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) arrangement seeks to mobilise US$160 million over a ten-year period, with US$80 million expected from philanthropic donors and an equal contribution from the Government of Kenya.
Thamani Asili, which translates as “value of nature” in Kiswahili, is projected to directly benefit about 1.6 million people, while an additional 3.9 million could gain from improved land governance, natural-resource management and new economic opportunities linked to conservation.
The initiative will promote ecological tourism, sustainable grazing, carbon-offset projects and other nature-based enterprises that can raise household incomes.
It is expected to create roughly 7,800 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs, with up to 80,000 individuals benefiting from new livelihoods and business prospects.
Central to the plan is community-led conservation, strengthening local governance, land-use planning and measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict, including better livestock protection.
By investing in nature, the programme links conservation to employment, growth and resilience for key sectors such as agriculture, tourism and water.
Over the next decade the scheme aims to protect 17.3 million hectares, supporting Kenya’s target to conserve 30 per cent of its lands, inland waters and near-shore ecosystems. This includes establishing about 2.7 million hectares of new conserved areas, improving management of 11 million hectares already under protection and enabling communities to better manage another 6 million hectares.
The project also aligns with Kenya’s Paris Agreement commitments, seeking to avoid 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2035.
“Conserving nature creates opportunities, strengthens livelihoods and honours the cultures and heritage of the people who live alongside wildlife,” CS Miano said. “Our commitment is clear: to protect our wildlife, empower communities and build a future where both people and nature thrive together.”
Kenya Wildlife Service Director General Prof. Erastus Kanga noted that community leadership can deliver lasting conservation results. Ruth Masha, Country Director for Kenya at The Nature Conservancy, said the programme strengthens community rights, voices and decision-making over land and resources, allowing people to conserve the places they depend on while improving livelihoods and building stronger local economies.
Implementation will be overseen by the newly created Thamani Asili Fund for Kenya, an independent trust fund that will manage donor contributions and track progress. Initial activities will focus on four priority landscapes: Tsavo to Coastal, Greater Ewaso, Greater Rift to Western and Southern Kenya.
The initiative supports Kenya’s Vision 2030, national climate pledges and global biodiversity targets, offering a practical route to protect nature while bolstering livelihoods and long-term economic growth.
Thamani Asili is the third PFP project in Africa and the tenth supported by Enduring Earth, a collaboration founded in 2020 by The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts, World Wildlife Fund and ZOMA LAB, now also backed by the Bezos Earth Fund and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Dozens of donors, including Daniel C. Chung, Dennis and Connie Keller, Jan and Emily Hammer, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies and others, are expected to provide key financial support.
