Northern Kenya conservancies earn Sh655 million from carbon credits

Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit (second right) receives a dummy cheque of Sh 10 million from NRT officials led by carbon credit project director Dr Mohammed Shibia (centre), on February 28, 2024, in Maralal town. [File, Standard]

Pastoralists from four counties in northern Kenya have received Sh655 million from the carbon credit kitty.

The herders from the Counties of Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu and Laikipia who are members of the community-based wildlife conservancies in partnership with the Northern Rangeland Trust (NRT) benefited from the kitty as shares earned under the carbon credit framework.

The money is channeled through the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP), which gives each conservancy its share.

During the issuance of the cheques to the officials and management of the conservancies from the four counties at a hotel in Isiolo town on Friday, NRT Chief Operations Officer (COO) Osman Hussein said nearly 60 per cent of the amount would directly go to specific groups within their respective conservancies spread across the four arid counties.

Mr Hussein, who represented the organisation's CEO Vimal Shah said the remaining 40 per would be further divided into two equal kitties----one for use in the rangeland conservation and management and the other in operations of the organisations running day today activities of the conservancies.

‘‘The cheques you (conservancy representatives) are receiving on behalf of the communities are accrued earnings from growing and conserving pastures in your areas. Your efforts contributed immensely to the reduction of the carbon emission into the atmosphere,’’ said NKRCP Board Chairman Andrew Dokhole.

Hussein noted that conservancies in the four counties received over Sh 3 billion from the Carbon Credit Fund since 2022.

Although earnings from carbon credit begun in 2013, the four counties started getting the funds in 2022.

The disbursement was suspended last year following concerns over integrity and transparency on how the funds are used. However, the suspension was lifted two weeks ago.

"We were not able to sell our carbon credit from January last year due to the suspension. However, after conducting thorough probe and putting in place structures for good governance, we have been admitted back to the market from now," revealed Mr Dokhole.

Hussein said the conservancies are now in a three year transition period to full autonomy to manage it's own affairs, detached from NRT thereafter.

"NRT will be there working with the conservancies during the transition period to help them in capacity building and guiding them wherever our input is required," said the COO.

Earlier in the year, NRT begun the process to align the conservancies with laws and regulations on carbon credit project. This would mean transitioning of carbon credit governance from NRT to a community driven frame work dubbed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that operates like a company.

Following the amendment of the 2021 Project Implementation Agreement, the conservancies were set to enjoy monopoly on carbon credit management.

The amendment will ensure all carbon credit project activities and governance structures are compliant with the 2023 Climate Change Amendment Act and the 2024 Carbon Market Regulations.

To get there, NRT earlier this year launched the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process for the 22 conservancies.

"Through the SPV, the conservancies will have their own management and board that would ensure it has representatives from all the stakeholders," said Hussein.

Dokhole noted that each conservancy will conduct stakeholder meetings at each location to decide on how to spend the funds they have received.

On Friday, five conservancies in Laikipia received a total of Sh 126.6 million, with Illengwesi getting the highest at Sh 30 million.

Samburu's eight conservancies will get Sh 248.8 million, Isiolo will get Sh 258. 8 million and Marsabit, with only a conservancy called Malako, will get Sh 30 million.

For example, Westgate conservancy in Samburu used Sh 9 million for the bursary of needy students last year. Other monies were spent in drilling of boreholes and paying wages for intern teachers at local schools, among other projects.

Saadia Mohamed, former chairlady of Nasuulu Conservancy in Isiolo, said they used funds for two years in setting up businesses for women and youth in Burat Ward.

" The fund from carbon credit has immensely changed the lives of women among the pastoralists. The majority of the women are out there selling and buying livestock during market days. Some are there in town doing small businesses," said Saadia.

Unlike previous years, County governments will not benefit financially from the carbon credit kitty. In 2024, both Isiolo and Samburu county governments each received Sh11m as levy from their local conservancies, up from Sh9 million in 2022.

Their removal is part of the reforms put in place after the organisation's suspension. Land in the pastoral areas is now owned communally under the 2010 Constitution. The defunct County Councils were previously custodians of the land on behalf of the inhabitants and the current county governments were told lthat aws had changed.

The board chairman urged the conservancies to make better use of the fund, adding that priority should also be given to environmental conservation and management.