Ground-breaking initiative establishes a national blueprint for protecting natural capital, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing sustainable development across Kenya's drylands 

The Wyss Academy for Nature and the National Land Commission (NLC), in partnership with the, Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development (CETRAD), the Laikipia Conservancies Association (LCA), Save the Elephants (STE) the County Governments of Isiolo, Laikipia and Samburu, and other stakeholders, have today launched Kenya's first Dryland Natural Assets Inventory and Participatory Mapping Reports, marking a major milestone in the governance, planning and protection of natural resources in the country's arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). 

The reports, covering Isiolo, Laikipia and Samburu counties, constitute the first comprehensive, community-driven inventory and spatial mapping of dryland natural assets in Kenya and are among the first initiatives of their kind on the African continent. Together, they provide an unprecedented evidence base for integrating natural capital into land use planning, climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. 

The inventories document thousands of critical natural assets, including rivers, wetlands, springs, ponds, sand dams, wildlife corridors, grazing routes, salt licks, islands of dense vegetation, cultural heritage sites and other ecologically significant landscapes that sustain livelihoods, biodiversity and local economies. 

The mapping exercise employed an innovative participatory approach that combined Geographic Information Systems (GIS), field surveys and indigenous knowledge contributed by elders, women, youth, conservancies, community leaders and technical experts. The result is a rich, spatially accurate inventory that captures both ecological value and cultural significance. 

County Highlights 

The Isiolo County report documents over 200 critical natural assets, including 594 water-related resources, among them 239 laggas, 134 ponds and 74 springs. It also maps wildlife corridors, dry-season grazing areas and recognises indigenous governance systems such as the Dedha resource management framework. 

The Laikipia County inventory identifies over 200 natural assets across all 15 wards, including 590 springs, 220 wetlands, critical grazing landscapes and more than 1,030 kilometres of wildlife migration corridors. The report highlights growing threats from climate change, invasive species, land degradation and competing land uses. 

The Samburu County report maps more than 2,150 natural assets, including rivers, springs, swamps, sand dams, salt licks, livestock routes, wildlife corridors and culturally significant sites. It identifies 108 wildlife migratory pathways, reinforcing Samburu's importance as a key biodiversity landscape. 

Beyond documenting natural resources, the reports provide practical guidance for integrating natural assets into County Spatial Plans, land administration systems, community land registration processes and national planning frameworks. 

The reports recommend: 

• Gazettement and legal protection of critical ecosystems and cultural sites. 

• Integration of natural assets into national and county land cadastres. 

• Restoration of degraded ecosystems through collaborative partnerships involving government, communities, conservancies and the private sector. 

• Strengthened governance frameworks for sustainable management of dryland resources. 

• Replication of the mapping model across Kenya's ASAL counties. 

The initiative aligns with the Constitution of Kenya, Vision 2030, the National Spatial Plan, County Integrated Development Plans, County Spatial Plans and Kenya's commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals and international climate and biodiversity frameworks. 

By providing reliable spatial data alongside indigenous knowledge, the reports offer policymakers, investors, researchers and development partners an essential tool for informed decision-making, conflict prevention, climate adaptation and sustainable natural resource management. 

The Wyss Academy for Nature calls upon national and county governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and local communities to utilise the findings to strengthen environmental stewardship, improve livelihoods and safeguard Kenya's unique dryland ecosystems. 

Wyss Academy further notes that the initiative provides a scalable model that can be replicated across Kenya's arid and semi-arid counties, positioning the country as a continental leader in participatory natural resource governance. 

A Global Blueprint for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026) 

This groundbreaking initiative also advances the global objectives of the United Nations-declared International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026). By mapping critical grazing landscapes, historic livestock routes, and indigenous governance frameworks like the Dedha system, these reports provide a concrete, data-driven blueprint for protecting the world’s fragile rangelands. The Wyss Academy and its partners are actively demonstrating how combining scientific spatial mapping with local pastoralist knowledge can safeguard mobile livelihoods, restore communal lands, and build climate resilience. As the global community celebrates IYRP 2026, this Kenyan model serves as a scalable template for secure rangeland for connectivity across the African continent and dryland ecosystems worldwide.  

For further information, contact: 

Amanda Koech

Communications Specialist & Executive Coordinator, Hub East Africa

amanda.koech@wyssacademy.org 

+244 795 857 945