African Conservancies Facility (ACF) is a dedicated financing mechanism that supports community owned conservancies in East and Southern Africa, to protect biodiversity and secure landowners’ livelihoods. ACF was launched to provide financial relief to 4 Maasai Mara conservancies that saw a 90 percent drop in ecotourism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides co-investing and administering ACF, CI Ventures was instrumental in mobilizing the private sector to finance this highly successful, award-winning sustainable land management initiative.
African Conservancies Facility
The ACF Portfolio
Mara Naboisho
The Mara Naboisho conservancy used the funding to develop and establish a regenerative grazing plan and upgrade its network of roads. It is made up of 609 landowners and the area is protected by 46 rangers. There are 8 camps with 130 beds operated by 5 tourism partners.
Mara North Holding
The conservancy used the funding to establish livestock enterprise and grazing plans. It has 915 lease contracts with 750 landowners and the area is protected by 42 rangers. It houses 13 member camps and tourism partner operators (7 camps/lodges, 3 riding outfits) with 208 beds.
Porini Ol Kinyei
Established in 2005, this was the first conservancy in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem. Its habitats are open savannah plains, riverine forest, springs, streams, rivers, and rolling hills that are unique for cheetahs and provide habitat for loita migration.
Olare Motorogi Conservancy (OMC)
The OMC is a strategic buffer zone for the Maasai Mara National Reserve and key wildlife migration corridors for four of the big five animals: elephants, buffalo, lions, and leopard. Its grassland plains, woodland, riverine habitats and shrubland are critical for high lion density.
Angama
Angama, a reputable high-end safari lodge operator known for its award-winning property in the Maasai Mara, will establish a new lodge in the Amboseli ecosystem in collaboration with Big Life, a local conservation organization active in the area, safeguarding over 1.6 million acres of land.
The Northern Four
The Northern Four conservancies embody a visionary approach to conservation, driven by insights gained from evolving conservancy models. Recognizing the mutual benefits of collaboration, the Northern Four have embarked on a path of consolidation, pooling resources and jointly managing operations.
Impact
Originally launched as a crisis relief effort for conservancies in the Mara during the Covid-19 pandemic, the African Conservancies Facility has now evolved to provide strategic support to both new and expanding conservancies.
This year, CIV brought additional capital to expand the portfolio with two new deals supporting five additional conservancies, bringing the total facility size to US$ 2.7M.
Check out our impact report to learn more about our work.