Tsavo Ranches Bank On Conservation, Sustainable Land Use For Value Addition

• Split into a patchwork of conservancies, the Tsavo Ecosystem offers a stunning blend of endangered species and exclusive experiences
• Whether it's your first or fiftieth time in Africa, there's a wonderful diversity of things to see and things to do that make the Tsavo unforgettable
• But tucked in between this wonderful flora and fauna are several ranches, which are fast being transformed into resourceful conservancies
• In the past, the Tsavo Ecosystem faced challenges from human-wildlife conflicts and habitat degradation, but today, all these have changed

Taita Taveta - The mystical wilderness of the Tsavo Ecosystem, home to Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, presents two of Africa's great luxury safari destinations.

Split into a patchwork of conservancies, this beautiful ecosystem offers a stunning blend of endangered species and exclusive experiences.

Whether it's your first or fiftieth time in Africa, there's a wonderful diversity of things to see and things to do that make the Tsavo unforgettable.

The flora and fauna of Tsavo Ecosystem

This particular ecosystem is a haven for Africa's unique and unusual species.

It hosts cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, Maasai lion, Maasai giraffe, zebra, hartebeest, impala, waterbuck, Thomson’s gazelle, lesser kudu, dik-dik and other smaller animals, including a great diversity of bird-life.

But tucked in between this flora and fauna are several ranches, which are fast being transformed into resourceful conservancies.

The local communities here have taken upon themselves the task of giving the region a new face through conservation and sustainable land use, a move that is aimed at protecting the rich biodiversity and promoting economic growth.

In the past, the Tsavo Ecosystem faced challenges from human-wildlife conflicts and habitat degradation, but today, all these have changed.

This has been attributed to the harmonious coexistence between wildlife and local communities, a move that has seen ranch owners voluntarily turn their land into conservancies.

A visit to Kasigau Ranch

For instance, Kasigau Ranch vice chairman John Mwamburi told TUKO.co.ke that the region is fast embracing this form of livelihood due to the many beneficiaries of carbon money, which comes from conserving the environment.

“I think this is the only reason why the coastal communities are not against conservancies. There are very few people who are against conservation even in this area, but the majority are fast embracing the conservancies,” Mwamburi said.

For Steve Mwasaka, the manager of Kasigau Ranch, the Tsavo ecosystem has the necessary resources to support conservancies.

“We have the ranches, the national parks, and the forests, unlike if you compare with places like Uasin Gishu, where there are vast plantations without such resources as ours. So, we have a reason why we should do conservation because we have the resources to protect,” Mwasaka explained.

The primary business since the establishment of the ranch in 1971 has been livestock keeping, including fattening and selling beef steers, goat meat, and sheep, as well as cow milk.

TUKO.co.ke understands that, with over 3,000 members, Kasigau covers an area of 52,305 acres.

Kasigau Ranch boosts of various types of gemstones

In addition, Kasigau Ranch has a designated area where various types of gemstones can be prospected.

The ranch gives consent to individuals with prospecting rights, where they pay a fee to obtain the consent, which is an income for the ranch.

Kasigau Ranch has about 6,000 acres set aside for wildlife conservation, which is a habitat for quite a few species.

“The area is also home to several species of birds, and we also guide our visitors on bird-watching,” Mwasaka further said.

According to Mwasaka, revenue from carbon credits of about KSh 40 million annually has been utilised to improve infrastructure in the conservancy, expand education through bursaries and water projects, and establish sustainable businesses that benefit local communities.

Livestock production in Mgeno Ranch

Another ranch dotting the landscape of Taita Taveta county is Mgeno, which covers an area of 53,000 acres.

Gazetted as a conservancy in June 2023, the ranch has a membership of about 1136 indigenous local shareholders.

Mgeno Ranch has been known as a livestock production area, which forms part of its core business.

Arnold Msheshe officer in charge of Livestock and Agriculture told TUKO.co.ke that due to the issues of climate change, they are destocking.

“You see, with little rainfall, we don’t want to lose a lot of our livestock, which stands at around 2,000 at the moment. However, we are planning to do pasture development for value addition,” he said.

Msheshe also said they plan to set up an eco-lodge as well as several mobile tent camps.

“We chose to move from a ranch to wildlife conservation because we wanted to transform our lives and earn revenue from hospitality,” he explained.

To ensure they have adequate water for both livestock and pasture, the ranch has invested in water pans and artificial dams.

Mgeno Ranch is involved in different CSR activities

They engage in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities like sensitising the locals on conservation, digging latrines, donating foodstuffs to schools, and also supporting youth groups through sporting activities.

Several kilometres from Mgeno sits Lumo Ranch, which is located on a 48,000-acre piece of land.

The Conservancy is an innovative community-run wildlife sanctuary formed from three community-owned ranches (Lualenyi, Mramba, and Oza, whose first letters form the word LUMO).

It is partly funded by foreign donors and involves local people at every stage of the project, from the park rangers to senior management.

Lumo Ranch is home to Lion Bluff Lodge

The conservancy is home to 61 large mammals and over 350 bird species. The land is mainly rolling Savannah and the stunning views from Lion Bluff Lodge stretch to Tanzania’s Pare Mountains and the legendary Mount Kilimanjaro.

Joseph Mzozo Mwanyalo, the conservancy manager, told TUKO.co.ke that their main income-generating activity is tourism.

The conservancy Mwanyalo revealed that it has also invested in hay harvesting since the locals engage in livestock keeping.

“Locals here earn dividends that come from conservation at the end of every year. It should also go without saying that we get a lot of support from foreign donors who help us give back to society through supporting education programmes,” said Mwanyalo.

The conservancy also benefits the local Taita community by offering employment, bursaries, and improvements to infrastructure and health facilities.

According to The Nature Conservancy (TNC), protecting forests is one of the most cost-effective ways to defend the planet from climate change’s worst effects.

"Better protection and restoration of these forest landscapes could reduce or remove one (1) billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually while helping hundreds of thousands of Africans earn a better living," TNC said.

How Kenya is mitigating the effects of climate change

In a related story, TUKO.co.ke reported that efforts by the Kenyan government to tackle the issue of climate change received a shot in the arm after the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action announced that it would soon develop a national Gender and Climate Action Plan.

The move was announced by the Principal Secretary of State Department for Gender Affirmative Action, Veronica Nduva, during the launch of the National Gender and Climate Vulnerabilities Hotspot Mapping at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, on Wednesday, May 10, 2023.

Nduva drew the attention of the stakeholders to the action plan to prepare themselves to support the gender-responsive climate actions therein for the benefit of current and future generations.