{"id":832,"date":"2026-10-07T01:41:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T01:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/?page_id=832"},"modified":"2026-10-07T01:41:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T01:41:19","slug":"conservation-as-a-business","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/conservation-as-a-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Conservation as a Business"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"CESPAD\"<\/p>\n
CESPAD Monthly Brief<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n
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Water · people · accountable institutions<\/div>\n

Conservation as a Business<\/h1>\n
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Who pays to protect the landscapes that sustain our water sources? And how can the people caring for those landscapes share in the benefits? This edition explores how environmental stewardship, watershed and catchment protection can support livelihoods, attract sustained investment and safeguard the natural resources that communities and economies depend on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Lead story<\/div>\n

Lake Victoria catchments: the business case for PES<\/h2>\n
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From the field<\/div>\n

\"Healthy

CESPAD website gallery: illustrative restoration photograph<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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CESPAD, through the Western Kenya Water Project (WKWP), led the Water Resources Management component of a joint reconnaissance assessment with the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) to explore opportunities for Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) across six river basins in the Lake Victoria region.<\/p>\n

The assessment found that catchment degradation and pollution are contributing to sedimentation, higher water-treatment costs and unreliable water supplies. These challenges point to an opportunity for downstream water users to support conservation efforts upstream through appropriate financing mechanisms.<\/p>\n

Kajulu-Kibos emerged as one of the priority areas for further PES development, alongside Gucha-Migori, Nzoia and Sondu-Miriu. Existing community and restoration initiatives\u2014including tree planting, nursery development, beekeeping and catchment planning\u2014provide a foundation for developing a PES approach.<\/p>\n

The findings point to an opportunity to move beyond short-term, project-based restoration towards more sustainable financing for catchment conservation, supported by clear conservation commitments, financing arrangements, monitoring and equitable benefit-sharing among participating stakeholders.<\/p>\n

The assessment was conducted in August 2024 and identifies opportunities for PES development; it should not be interpreted as evidence of an operational PES scheme<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read the full story →<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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Programme update<\/div>\n

How conservation financing works<\/h2>\n

Payments for ecosystem services (PES) are voluntary arrangements that reward land managers or communities for maintaining or improving specified environmental services under agreed conditions. Funding may come from beneficiaries, public institutions acting on their behalf, or both. Water funds pool resources for catchment protection and may support restoration and technical assistance without direct PES payments. Reliable funding, community participation and credible evidence remain essential.<\/p>\n

CESPAD\u2019s catchment-planning story reports that priorities identified in Kasikeu contributed to county investment in a sand dam along the Kaluku River. Participatory planning can connect local needs with public investment.
\nSource: https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/case-studies\/sub-catchment-management\/<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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Field note<\/div>\n

\"Connecting

Connecting farming livelihoods with catchment protection. CESPAD website gallery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/section>\n
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Evidence and learning<\/div>\n

Selected international perspectives<\/h2>\n

These examples draw on programme authorities and implementing organisations, rather than an independent comparative evaluation.<\/p>\n

Kenya: The Upper Tana-Nairobi Water Fund business case examined potential benefits for agriculture, water supply and hydropower. Modelled benefits are projections, not guaranteed returns.
\nhttps:\/\/www.nature.org\/content\/dam\/tnc\/nature\/en\/documents\/Nairobi-Water-Fund-Business-Case_FINAL.pdf<\/p>\n

Ecuador: Quito\u2019s FONAG water fund, established in 2000, supports protection and restoration of source landscapes. It highlights sustained coordination and investment.
\nhttps:\/\/resilientwatersheds.nature.org\/who-we-are<\/p>\n

Costa Rica: FONAFIFO financially recognises forest environmental services. A legally designated share of fuel-tax revenue helps finance the programme.
\nhttps:\/\/www.fonafifo.go.cr\/es\/servicios\/pago-de-servicios-ambientales\/<\/p>\n

Brazil: The Water Producer programme encourages soil and water conservation through local partnerships, preferably linked to environmental-service payments.
\nhttps:\/\/www.gov.br\/ana\/pt-br\/acesso-a-informacao\/acoes-e-programas\/programa-produtor-de-agua<\/p>\n

South Africa: The Greater Cape Town Water Fund supports removal of invasive trees that use more water than the native vegetation they replace. Restoration must fit local ecology.
\nhttps:\/\/www.nature.org\/en-us\/what-we-do\/our-insights\/perspectives\/cape-town-africa-water-fund\/<\/p>\n

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  • Who benefits? Identify communities, water users, businesses and public institutions.<\/li>\n
  • Who contributes? Agree realistic funding commitments and continued costs.<\/li>\n
  • Are benefits fair? Provide clear terms and meaningful participation.<\/li>\n
  • What changes? Measure water, ecosystem and livelihood outcomes.<\/li>\n
  • Who maintains it? Plan continued care, technical support and monitoring.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n

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Evidence in practice<\/div>\n

\"Fynbos

Photo: Chris Eason, \u201cFynbos-landscape-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/section>\n

Read the illustrated website edition →<\/a><\/p>\n

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CESPAD invites communities, county governments, water users, businesses and development partners to explore fair partnerships for catchment stewardship. This draft draws on published sources and requires internal review before mailing-list delivery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

CESPAD · Nairobi, Kenya
Visit CESPAD<\/a> · <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Subscribe to CESPAD updates<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CESPAD Monthly Brief Water · people · accountable institutions Conservation as a Business Who pays to protect the landscapes that sustain our water sources? And how can the people caring for those landscapes share in the benefits? This edition explores how environmental stewardship, watershed and catchment protection can support livelihoods, attract sustained investment and safeguard…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-832","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=832"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/832\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":850,"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/832\/revisions\/850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cespad.co.ke\/cespad-workspace\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}