Carbon Project Distributes Levies to three Counties

Isiolo Governor H.E. Ibrahim Guyo (left) receives a dummy cheque of Ksh 9.1 million from the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP).

In a historic moment this November, the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP) handed over levy fees amounting to Ksh 23,848,500 to the Isiolo, Samburu, and Laikipia County Governments. The 5% levy was received by Governors H.E. Ibrahim Guyo (Isiolo), H.E. Lati Lelelit (Samburu), and H.E. Joshua Irungu (Laikipia) and will also be distributed to Marsabit. As a priority, the funds will be used to support drought relief interventions.

The NKRCP’s carbon credits have generated USD 14.6 million for local conservancies to date. In February 2022, each of the 14 NRT member community conservancies participating in the Project’s activities received USD 324,000, their first of three payments from this sale. Future sales are expected to be even higher.

Funds generated from the NKRCP are channeled directly to the communities, who hold sole financial control and use them to finance conservancy operations and community-identified needs. NRT receives no profit from the sale of the NKRCP’s carbon credits.

Samburu County Governor H.E Lati Lelelit (second from right) receives a dummy cheque of Ksh 9.1 million from the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP).

The NKRCP’s first carbon credits were generated in 2013 and these, along with subsequent years of verified credits, were offered to the international voluntary market, generating USD 14.6 million for local conservancies to date.

Each community conservancy participating in the NKRCP contributes 5% of its revenue to County Government development mechanisms that support NKRCP-related rangelands activities.