The Model: Land Lease, Tourism Revenue, Pastoral Access
Community conservancies are private or community-managed land areas (often 5,000-20,000 hectares) dedicated to wildlife conservation and tourism. The model allows Maasai communities to lease grazing land to conservancies, receive per-bed-night tourism fees, and continue some pastoral activity.
A conservancy visitor pays USD 50-100+ per night. The community receives a percentage of this (often 10-20% after operator costs). Some conservancies also employ Maasai rangers, guides, and staff, providing wage income.
Key conservancies include:
- Olare Orok Conservancy (Maasai Maasai Mara National Reserve adjacent, Maasai-owned)
- Mara North Conservancy (northern Mara region)
- Naboisho Conservancy (southern Mara region)
- Ol Kinyei Conservancy (eastern Mara region)
Economics: Tourism Revenue vs. Cattle Income
The revenue from conservancy tourism can exceed income from cattle sales, especially during drought years when cattle prices collapse and herd mortality is high.
However, the economics are volatile(tourism demand fluctuates; cattle are a reliable income if drought doesn't kill them). Some years tourism generates significant revenue; other years, tourism companies report losses and reduce payouts to communities.
The conservancies also require exclusion of some pastoral access(core wildlife zones are off-limits to herding). This reduces the available grazing land and puts pressure on adjacent areas(overgrazing in non-conservancy zones).
Is the Model Truly Beneficial?
The conservancy model has benefited some Maasai, particularly large landowners who lease significant acreage and receive substantial revenue shares.
For ordinary herders without large land holdings, the benefits are marginal. Jobs are limited. Revenue sharing is often opaque. The opportunity cost is loss of access to traditional grazing land.
Wealth inequality within Maasai communities is widening. Conservancy ownership is concentrated among a few families or individual landowners. This contrasts with traditional pastoral systems where resources were more communally accessed.
Alternative Conservation Models
Some Maasai leaders and conservation advocates propose models that would balance conservation with more equitable benefit distribution(community land trusts, conservation agreements that include pastoral protocols, conservation fees distributed broadly to all residents, not just landowners).
These alternatives remain largely theoretical. The conservancy model is the dominant practice and the preferred model of most conservation organizations and tourism operators.
Future Trajectory
The conservancy model will likely persist and expand (as climate change makes pastoralism harder, conservancies offer economic alternative). The question is whether benefits can be distributed more equitably and whether Maasai can gain more control over conservancy management and decision-making.