Livestock keepers in Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu and Laikipia counties who are also members of community-based wildlife conservancies under the Northern Rangeland Trust (NRT) have benefited from the carbon credit kitty.

The Kshh655 million will be disbursed through the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP), from which their shares earned dividends over the carbon credit framework.

Speaking during the presentation of cheques to 14 community-based wildlife conservancies from the four counties at a hotel in Isiolo Town, NRT Coordinator for Carbon Credit Mohammed Shidia said about 60 per cent of the Ksh655 million would directly go to specific groups in their respective conservancies.

Samburu and Isiolo counties that have seven and five conservancies respectively will receive over Ksh100 million each because they have more conservancies compared to Laikipia and Marsabit.

Shidia said the money the conservancy representatives were receiving on behalf of the communities accrued from growing and conserving pastures at the grassroots, hence contributing to the reduction of the carbon emission into the atmosphere from 2022.

The conservancies that received the money would spend it in conservancy operations, rangeland management and community development. Conservancies will use the fund on projects of their choice including education, health, water and small businesses.

Westgate conservancy in Samburu used Ksh9 million on bursary of needy students last year while some other amount went to drilling of boreholes and employing part time teachers for early childhood education schools.

Isiolo and Samburu county governments received Ksh11 million as levy from local conservancies, up from Ksh9 million in 2022.

NRT Chief Executive Officer Bishal Shah said the carbon credit benefits encouraged pastoralists to take care of their environment hence making it friendlier for inhabitants.

“The pastoral communities have continued to improve their rangeland by coming up with regulations that guide pasture management. The effort of the comnmunity has ensured that pasture is not depleted through overstocking,” Shah said.

Isiolo County Executive Member for Tourism Lawrence Mwongela said the counties would come up with legislation that would ensure community wildlife conservation was well streamlined. Mwongela said Isiolo county assembly had enacted community conservancy law adding the tourism and wildlife management bill was pending in the house for passage.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By David Nduro