Achieving the support of the neighbouring
community doesn’t simply mean talking to them, but rather
ensuring
that the majority of community members, not just a
small privileged elite, see the protected area as
a
positive asset rather than a burden. This is
especially important in an area, such as the Mara
Ecosystem,
where poverty is widespread, and where communities
need to see direct positive benefits being generated
by
the protected area to address their daily needs,
and to discourage them from adopting conservation
incompatible
livelihoods, or even carrying out illegal
activities within the area.
In the case of the MMNR, it is fair to say that
the local communities, while understanding that the Reserve
is
an important economic and conservation resource,
do not feel that they are sufficiently benefiting from
the
area, and presently view the MMNR largely as a
burden rather than an asset. Although mechanisms are
already
in place to provide the community with direct
benefits from the Reserve’s revenues, these have
often
been perceived by the communities neighbouring the
Reserve to be insufficient, infrequent and
dispersed
over too wide an area. In addition, community
members have themselves often been unable to directly
capitalise
on the economic opportunities that the MMNR
presents, and these have instead often been taken
up
by individuals from elsewhere in Kenya or abroad.
Furthermore, despite significant tourism potential in
the
greater ecosystem, the majority of tourism in the
greater Mara is presently focused on the Reserve itself,
with
even facilities some distance from the Reserve
depending on access to the area, which has contributed to
the
poor flow of benefits to community landowners in
the wider ecosystem.
The enhancement of community benefits being
provided by the MMNR, such that they perceive the
Reserve
as an asset and strongly support conservation
efforts inside and outside the Reserve, is therefore an
important
guiding principle of this programme, and a key to
the achievement of the overall programme
purpose
of enhanced community pride in and sense of
ownership of the Reserve.
