Conservation Basic Income in Laikipia, Kenya - a new path towards unlocking and rewarding community-led conservation.

We sit side by side, bundled on the bare ground under the shade of the acacia tree. A faint whistling sound hums through the air, I’m told it comes from the hollow swellings at the base of the acacia thorns. These swellings shelter ants that, in turn, protect the tree by stinging animals that attempt to graze on its leaves. The two share a fascinating symbiosis, one that mirrors the deep interdependence between people and nature.

One herder told me, “We are restricted from grazing in some areas to allow the grass to regenerate, which is good for conservation but I don’t see any direct benefit to me as an individual.”

I am in Il Ngwesi Conservancy, Laikipia County, Kenya, attending a Maasai community meeting, where all decisions regarding the communal conservancy land are discussed and deliberated on. These particular meetings are on our Climate Commons Fund (CCF) project. The meetings are held outdoors in nature, beneath the trees, with men and women seated in two distinct groups. The atmosphere is calm and orderly. Conservancy officials, board members representing the seven villages, Elders, women and youth leaders address the crowd in the Maa language, everyone listens intently, people, trees, landscape, and wildlife seem to blend harmoniously in one.

Il Ngwesi Conservancy is an indigenous rangeland owned and managed by the Maasai community. Its one part of 22 conservancies in Laikipia and 165 in Kenya covering a land area of 9.04 million ha or 16% of the country's land area. Established in 1995, it is one of the oldest conservancies in the region and has featured in a number of books and documentaries on conservation. The community is well informed and involved in conservation efforts, planting trees, grass, rotational grazing even protecting wildlife and forest from poachers and loggers. In the conservancy they have created various income-generating activities, including a tourist lodge built in the charm of African architecture.

Visitors can enjoy game drives and spot elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards, and other wildlife, including the rare reticulated giraffe, found only in conservancies in northern Kenya, and the Grévy’s zebra, the largest and most endangered zebra species. The conservancy also runs carbon programs that generate income for community projects, conservation efforts, and education through bursaries.

A Maasai elder shares his thoughts on the project

Yet, despite these efforts, poverty and inequality remain high, exceeding 40% among pastoral communities. The communities are forced to grapple with the effects of the climate crisis with droughts and erratic weather patterns, all with limited resources. This presents a challenge in the management of the little available communal resources, issues of transparency, impact, and agency arise. While government and NGO projects often come with good intentions, they rarely address the immediate concerns of individuals leaving many feeling excluded from the benefits of conservation.

One herder told me, “We are restricted from grazing in some areas to allow the grass to regenerate, which is good for conservation but I don’t see any direct benefit to me as an individual.”

Another woman, a mother of three, shared that she relies on firewood for cooking because it’s the only affordable energy source she has. “If I had the money, I’d use LPG, it’s cleaner and safer,” she said. Her story is not unique. Many families still depend on traditional biomass fuels for cooking and lack access to clean energy. Even for lighting, they still rely on Kerosene lamps, which are harmful to health, especially to the eyes and lungs.

Meeting with local women’s groups to discuss the Climate Commons Fund project

These realities reveal a difficult truth: communities are being asked to conserve, yet they lack alternatives and are not directly benefiting from their efforts.

This is why we are here to introduce the Climate Commons Fund (CCF).

The CCF is a community-owned and governed financial model designed to compensate communities for ecosystem restoration through unconditional cash transfers (UCTs). This means every adult member of the conservancy will receive a basic income as an annual direct payment sent to their phone without any conditions attached to it. Initially, it will be donor-funded, but over time, it will transition to self-sustainability through active investments, revenues generated from eco-tourism, payments for ecosystem services (PES), and locally managed green enterprises. This structure ensures that even after donors exit, the community continues to receive a basic income and reap the rewards of its conservation efforts.

The fund will also include an annual ecological bonus, or ‘climate dividend’, linked to measurable environmental indicators tracked through a combination of satellite data and community-led monitoring. When soil health and biodiversity improve, the community earns a bonus - rewarding their role as custodians of the land.

In addition, the CCF aims to support victims of natural disasters such as droughts and floods by compensating for lost livelihoods, ensuring that no one is left behind.

The fund will be managed by a community committee, with representation from donors and technical partners. To promote fairness and inclusion, a target of 50% of leadership roles will be allocated to women and youth. The committee will ensure transparency, accountability, and prudent investment of the fund.

Just like the ant and the acacia tree, there exists a symbiotic relationship between the people and their landscape that has existed for centuries. They are both interlinked and depend on each other for survival. Through the Climate Commons Fund, we recognise this and aim not only to place the community back at the heart of conservation we are also providing equity, opportunity, and dignity.

A staff member from Il Ngwesi lodge surveys the landscape

By Matu Mureithi

Matu is an advocate for Universal Basic Income (UBI), Financial Inclusion, climate and economic justice. As Project Coordinator for the Climate Commons Fund project, and a member of Equal Right’s International Advisory Board, he works to connect conservation with direct financial empowerment. With a background in financial inclusion and project management, Matu focuses on creating systems that ensure resources reach those who need them most. His work bridges the gap between global development goals and the everyday realities of grassroots communities.