Conservation Program Update - Rangeland Management Plan

The MWCT conservation team recently conducted a rangeland baseline survey in Kuku Group Ranch to assess grass cover.  Results of the survey showed that most of Kuku Group Ranch suffers from low grass cover and overgrazing.  MWCT will combat this problem by developing a participatory rangeland management plan in partnership with the local Maasai community.  This plan will aim to  prevent overgrazing, to reduce erosion, and to increase productivity of semi-arid land.

Rangeland baseline survey results: This map of Kuku Group Ranch shows the percentage of grass cover in the different rangeland survey plots. The number indicated above each pie chart is the measured percentage of grass cover in that specific plot.

Richard Hatfield and John Oitaos of Natural Capital East Africa are collaborating with MWCT to develop the rangeland management plan.  In mid-October, Richard, John, and the MWCT conservation team held a three-day workshop to lay out the details of the plan to the community.

John Oitaos from Natural Capital East Africa taught Kuku community members
about the different mechanisms of a holistic grazing management plan.

MWCT is also setting up a grass seed bank near the town of Kuku to reintroduce grass to an overgrazed area and to produce grass seed that can be sown in other areas.  A Maasai women’s group will be engaged to manage the area and to harvest and sell the seeds.  In this way, the project will empower local women, build their capacity in the community, and provide them with income through grass seed sales.  Because animal husbandry is essential to the Maasai way of life, MWCT is partnering with the community to improve rangeland management and to secure a healthy future for the pastoralist community.

The contrasting rangeland conditions on Kuku Group Ranch: Overgrazed rangeland in Samai (left)
and the healthy rangeland in the Chyulu Hills (right).