Environment and climate change Principal Secretary Dr. Eng. Festus K. Ng’eno have said 65-70% of wildlife populations in Kenya live outside protected areas, coexisting with people and livestock which amplifies Human Wildlife Conflicts (HWCs), posing a threat to socio-economic development, biodiversity, and food security

“Kenya has lost an estimated 68% of its megafauna over the past 40 years with the primary causes including human population growth, resource pressures, escalating poverty, limited livelihood opportunities, and inadequate institutional capacity to manage human-wildlife conflicts and wildlife crime effectively”.

PS Ng’eno spoke Wednesday during the Inception Workshop for the “Advancing Human-Wildlife Conflict Management Effectiveness in Kenya through an Integrated Approach,” supported by the GEF 8 cycle.

The PS Ng’eno said the project which has identified priority areas of Tsavo and Laikipia landscapes has the potential to enhance tourism industry and address the challenge of Human-Wildlife Conflict, which affects our ecosystem and leads to biodiversity loss.

On her part Wildlife Principal Secretary Silvia Museiya said by synthesizing and analyzing data sources, policymakers can develop evidence-based policies and regulations that effectively conserve and sustainably manage natural capital for current and future generations.

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry as the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Operational Focal Point in Kenya endorsed the project worth USD 10.66 million through Conservation International (CI) to secure GEF 8 funds for implementing the noble initiative.

The project which is one of the 11 integrated programs under the Global Environment Facility’s eighth replenishment cycle (GEF-8), known as the GEF-8 Global Wildlife Program (GWP) builds upon the successes of the Global Wildlife Program from GEF-6 and GEF-7, aiming to address the root causes of wildlife loss through national, trans-boundary, regional, and global interventions.

The inception Workshop was attended by among others Mohamed Awer (CEO – WWF Kenya), Dr. Erastus Kanga (KWS DG), Dr. Patrick Omondi (Director WRTI), Seif Hamisi (Country Director – Conservation International), Munira Bashir (Kenya Project Director – TNC) are among the participants.