Experts have explored ways to reach a win-win situation for wildlife conservation and livestock keeping, in light of the ongoing invasions of Laikipia conservancies by armed herders.

In the last five months, about 10,000 armed pastoralists from Baringo, Isiolo and Samburu counties with around 135,000 cattle have invaded Laikipia, destroying property and killing wildlife.

Panelists and community leaders on Wednesday were in agreement that the conservancies have fostered peace over large swathes of the restive northern Kenya region.

This peace is now under threat, and the invasions could destroy the very livelihoods villagers have built over the years.

“Security through the conservancies has given people in Isiolo and Northern Kenya the peace to engage in other economic activities. Without this they cannot build their lives,” said Dickson Kaelo, head of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association.