Socioeconomic and ecological outcomes of community conservancies: a case study of Naibunga community conservancy in Laikipia County, Kenya.

Abstract

The community conservancy model is regarded as an important approach for reducing land degradation, bolstering wildlife conservation, and enhancing pastoral livelihoods. However, this model necessitates some trade-offs such as alteration of traditional livestock grazing management practices and increased costs of wildlife conservation to local pastoralists. Therefore, there is need to understand the socioeconomic and ecological implications of community conservancies in communal rangelands, if we are to better enhance the sustainability of such rangelands. This study evaluated the socioeconomic and ecological outcomes of the community conservancy model in Naibunga Community Conservancy in northern Kenya. Specifically, the study assessed the level of pastoralists‟ involvement in conservancy conservation and management activities, their perceptions of conservancy-driven socio-economic impacts, and the conservancy‟s effects on vegetation, livestock and wild ungulate numbers. Regression analyses were performed on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) collected from Landsat 4, 5 and 7 for the periods before (1989-2003) and after (2006-2020) conservancy establishment. The analysis was also performed on wild ungulate and livestock population data obtained from the Directorate of Remote Sensing and Resource Survey (DRSRS) for the same period. Data collected from 19 experimental plots measuring 30 m x 30 m were also analysed for vegetation species diversity and composition. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise quantitative data and chi-square analyses used to test for association between categorical socioeconomic variables. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Over 75% of respondents indicated that they were involved in conservancy management and conservation activities. Large proportions (65–90%) of respondents perceived conservancy-related improvements in their overall socioeconomic status. Involvement was positively associated with perceived socioeconomic improvements (χ2 = 83.5, p < 0.01). On the other hand, NDVI significantly declined before and assumed a significantly positive trend after conservancy establishment (p<0.05). Wild ungulates showed significant temporal trends before and not after (p=0.033) while livestock showed non-significant temporal trends before and after conservancy establishment (p>0.076). Based on these findings, the community conservancy model appears to have beneficial socioeconomic and ecological outcomes. These benefits c