| dc.description.abstract | Management of livestock-wildlife-environment interface presents a big challenge in the
integration of development and environmental conservation in Sub-Sahara Africa. This study
focuses Il Ngwesi Group Ranch Conservancy (IGRC) as a learning case on how the community
has been able to manage its resources under the existing Community-Based Wildlife
Management approach. This study was, therefore, aimed at: a) Establishing the sociodemographic
attributes of Il Ngwesi Group Ranch (IGR) members; b) Assessing the evolution of
functional governance structures; c) Investigating the perceptions of the community on the trends
in natural resources, grazing management strategies and wildlife conservation in the conservancy
and; d) Identifying best conservation practices that can enhance natural resource conservation
and sustainability of pastoral livelihoods within conservancies. Data was collected by
administering a questionnaire to 128 households in four villages of Chumvi, Nandungoru, Sang‟a
and Leparua in Il Ngwesi community. In addition, focus group discussions, key informant
interviews and secondary data review were conducted to complement the household interviews.
The study found that most members of Il Ngwesi are illiterate with the greatest percentage being
over 40 years of age. However the young generation is embracing education with an average of
about four children going to school per household. The average household size is 5.2 AEs
surviving on per capita daily income of Ksh 223.2. Livestock production is the main source of
livelihood (83.8%) in this community.
Before the establishment of the conservancy, Il Ngwesi Group Ranch (IGR) was solely used for
grazing with no deliberate emphasis on wildlife conservation. Council of elders was responsible
for maintaining law and order and making decisions on natural resource management. To
enhance wildlife conservation in the area, the neighboring Lewa Downs Conservancy
management approached IGR to establish a conservancy. Following peer-learning on the formal
governance structures of already established conservancies in other areas, IGRC was established,
and the mandate of its management bestowed on the Group Ranch Committee, Il Ngwesi
Community Trust and Il Ngwesi Company Limited.
According to the Il Ngwesi community, wildlife population has increased while pastures,
livestock, grazing land and water sources have declined since the establishment of the
Conservancy. They attribute the observed declines to droughts and increased wildlife
populations. The latter is linked to reduced poaching and increased security patrols following the
establishment of the Conservancy. Although the members are allowed to graze under control in
the Conservation area, the pastures are not always enough hence they opt to lease pastures from
neighbouring ranches. Despite the initial view of wildlife as enemy, most (69.7%, N=109) of the
respondents viewed wildlife as a benefit to them. Employment, school bursaries, security and
building of social facilities were identified as some of the benefits from the conservancy.
The learning outcomes include: the realization by community members that conservancy
contributes to the overall security of people and property, decrease in wildlife poaching, better
grazing management given the enforceable by-laws, entrenchment of democratic principles in
both group ranch and conservancy governance, among other lessons. Any wildlife conservation
initiative is likely to succeed as long as the communities are adequately involved and benefits
from the conservancy are equitably shared. | en |
