GUARANTEED INCOME FOR LANDOWNERS

Communities living in natural wildlife areas must be provided with the economic incentives to set aside their land for wildlife conservation. Mara North Conservancy protects more than 30,000 hectares of natural wildlife area on fixed lease agreements. The lease amount is based on the registered size of the individual parcel and paid monthly to the individual landowner's bank account.

The lease payment is not dependent on the number of conservancy tickets being sold, and therefore is not dependent on the fluctuations in tourism numbers. The idea of guaranteeing a fixed amount is innovative and marks the first time that these Maasai landowners have received direct, predictable and transparent income from wildlife, allowing community members to plan for the future.