Environment and Social governance

A picture of community conserved area in Kimanjo, Laikipia North in, 2020, before the long dry season lasting 2023

For Indigenous communities, land means more than property– it encompasses culture, relationships, ecosystems, social systems, spirituality, and law. To separate them from their land” is to “preempt Indigenous sovereignty. Land and Aboriginal rights are inextricably linked - scholars Bonita Lawrence and Enakshi Dua. Despite representing less than 5 percent of the world's population, Indigenous peoples steward more than a quarter of Earth's land and seas and protect 80 percent of global biodiversity. With reports of a 68% average drop in global wildlife population sizes since 1970 (WWF, Living Planet Report, 2020), if Indigenous people are given the right to govern their land; biodiversity increases and forests are protected. In these regards, ACTNOW KENYA adopts a collaborative approach in uniting indigenous communities with nature, with other communities as well working with conservation champions to restore depleting natural resources.

For many years these communities depended on natural resources for livelihoods, water, customs and traditional medicines but the story is different now. Gradually, with climate crises, weather patterns have changed and therefore efficiency of indigenous knowledge has hugely become inadequate to inform and adapt to growing environmental pressure with massive death of livestock - their primary source of livelihood and survival. The result on the other hand is high school kids dropouts from frequent migration, poaching for alternative adaptation means, malnutrition resulting from decline in animal food supply, conflict over common water points, and insecurities due to cattle rustling. Without a response to this, more species will be extinct with a degrading society. It is therefore critical to help these communities conserve their lands and manage natural ecosystems. ACTNOW KENYA exists to ensure a symbiotic relationship between people and nature through environmental innovation and replication of globally tested solutions to biodiversity restoration and social harmony in Laikipia and beyond.

311,494ha

70k+

people will be served

landscape restoration opportunities

Why Environmental conservation

Laikipia County is one of East Africa’s most important areas for wildlife conservation for the a variety of reasons. First, Laikipia contains higher populations of large mammals than any protected or unprotected landscape in Kenya, outside of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Secondly Laikipia is rich in biodiversity with over ninety species of mammals, 500 species of birds, over 700 species of plants and almost 1000 species of invertebrates already identified. However it is perhaps Laikipia’s assemblage of large, globally threatened mammals that makes it particularly unique from a biodiversity perspective. Laikipia contains half of Kenya’s black rhinos, the country’s second largest population of elephants, Kenya’s third largest and only stable population of lions, the world’s sixth largest population of African wild dogs, a large proportion of the world’s remaining Grevy’z zebras, perhaps as many as two thirds of the world’s remaining Reticulated giraffe, a globally significant population of cheetah, Kenya’s largest population of patas monkeys and a unique race of hartebeest. Laikipia is arguably, therefore, one of the last viable refuges for large terrestrial mammals in East Africa. The significance of this region in global biodiversity capacity is the main driving environmental stewardship force for ACTNOW KENYA. We strive to rescue, restore, preserve and protect these rich natural ecosystems through community building and collaboration. Our main areas of environmental conservation include; Bird watching, environmental education, peace and governance and carbon offsetting projects.

On conservation;

The choices we make today will determine the quality of life for generations to come. Its is not only our responsibility but our moral duty to act decisively and collectively to conserve our planet. The time for action is now, and every small step we take can lead to monumental change. We have planted more than ten thousand trees in Laikipia North and beyond in our monthly green, coalition and local tree growing initiatives.

Monthly green

A tree planting project for growing 30 tree seedlings every month. In these project we purchase and plant native seedlings in schools, homes and selected institutions like naibung'a community conservancy in Laikipia north. Since its inception in November 2023, we have our initiative has managed to plant 150 trees with the help of school kids and community members.

Partnership with local government

Through the 10B trees planted project by the government of Kenya, ACTNOW KENYA is able to source and plant seedlings within Laikipia County. This 2023 seedling is now 1.4 meters tall and remains our beacon of hope for nature's recovery in our work.

More on;

The animals, medicine and clean water sources are gone. And with them, happiness is gone.

– Father Anselmus Amo, director of Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) in Papua, Indonesia