The Rise of Community Conservancies in Central Kajiado, Kenya

In the heart of Kenya's Central Kajiado, a quiet revolution is unfolding. A new wave of community-led conservation efforts is sweeping across this once-neglected region, catalyzed by the formation of the RAMAT Wildlife Society. Here, Maasai communities living with wildlife are leading a movement that integrates livestock rearing with wildlife conservation—an approach born out of desperation but now fueling hope.

Commonly known as the Matapato Rangelands, this region is one of Kenya’s hotspots for human-wildlife conflict, where residents face the constant challenge of coexisting with elephants, lions, hyenas, and antelopes. Livestock predation, crop raids, loss of human lives, and environmental degradation have impoverished many communities. Despite being a major dispersal area for wildlife from Amboseli National Park and a critical corridor in the southern rangelands, these communities received little support from either government or conservation agencies.

RAMAT Wildlife Society: Building from the Ground Up

"It never crossed my mind that I would be fully involved in wildlife conservation. I had spent years pleading with conservation organizations to invest in the region, but there was no interest..." says John Kisimir, Partnerships Director and Co-Founder of RAMAT Wildlife Society.

In 2020, the first milestone came with the establishment of the Kikesen River Conservancy, the region’s inaugural conservancy along the Kenya-Tanzania border. Initially, landowners were skeptical, but after a series of meetings, they realized that collective action could alleviate the immense pressures of human-wildlife conflict.

Once the 11,223-hectare Kikesen River Conservancy became operational, it became a model for neighboring communities. This grassroots movement quickly gained momentum, leading to the formation of Parsilet, Oldoinyo Sambu, and Kisapuk conservancies, all located along the vital Kenya-Tanzania border—a key migratory route for wildlife.

A Ripple Effect of Change

By 2021, the conservancy model had extended to the periphery of the Amboseli National Park ecosystem, with the creation of Lorbetera and Noosikitok conservancies. These conservancies represented more than just a solution to human-wildlife conflict—they became vehicles for engaging stakeholders and attracting resources for employment, development, and conservation.

"We now have communities mobilizing themselves and forming their conservancies without the support of RAMAT," explains Simon Sosoika, Chairperson of the RAMAT Board of Directors. This self-reliant model demonstrated the power of community-led conservation efforts to protect wildlife and secure livelihoods.

A Growing Movement with Global Support

RAMAT’s efforts soon attracted global attention. Wildlife filmmaker Dr. Paula Kahumbu, known for her work with WildlifeDirect, helped secure funding from the Embassy of France. This provided salaries for community scouts, who play a critical role in managing conservancies and protecting wildlife.

The Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) also supported RAMAT during the COVID-19 pandemic, covering scout salaries, registering conservancies, and providing leadership training.

The Road Ahead

Today, RAMAT represents 14 conservancies covering over 105,000 hectares and protecting more than 3,200 square kilometers. This grassroots movement is gaining support from international organizations like IFAW, WWF, Save Giraffes Now, and The Nature Conservancy, which have all shown interest in the flourishing conservancy movement in Central Kajiado.

RAMAT’s story is still unfolding, but the trajectory is clear—community-led conservancies are transforming Central Kajiado into a model for wildlife conservation and community development.