The Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) is the premiere body for advocacy and lobbying on behalf of conservancies at the national level. A conservancy is private or community land registered and managed for purposes of sustainable wildlife management and compatible land uses for better livelihoods.
Conservancies are a recognized land use under the Kenyan Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, making them an attractive option for communities and landowners. They offer improved land and resource rights but in order to receive the benefits from these rights, landowners would have to be registered as a conservancy with KWS, which unfortunately is not yet open. There are 12 regional associations of conservancies that form the basis for KWCA membership. Laikipia is one of these regional associations and the Laikipia Wildlife Forum represents all conservancies in Laikipia to the KWCA.
Under an agreement with KWCA, LWF will pay the KWCA conservancy membership fees each year as part of the fees paid for membership by LWF. This should make it easier for all conservancies in Laikipia, as there will be only one payment each year for membership in LWF and KWCA. KWCA and LWF continue to work closely on issues related to policy, legislation, and regulations impacting conservancies. This strengthens the lobbying group that includes: NRT, Tusk Trust, Amboseli, Mara, and Taita Taveta clusters of conservancies, and others. The total number of conservancies in Kenya amounts to more than 140 in these 12 regional associations. County Wildlife Conservation and Compensation Committees (CWCCCs) will soon play a more significant role in the support and oversight of conservancies in each county. We will be keeping you informed through regular updates on the Laikipia CWCCC and our work with KWCA.
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