Why I want to bring lions back to my village | Seif Hamisi

Conservation efforts in Africa frequently fail because they apply ecological solutions to what are fundamentally economic problems. While wildlife populations have declined by three-quarters over fifty years, traditional top-down conservation has often ignored the financial needs of communities living alongside nature. Shifting toward "capitalist conservation" models—where healthy ecosystems drive business—creates sustainable income that incentivizes protection. In South Africa, herders like Poloheng Ngugbo achieve higher market prices by restoring traditional grazing cycles that improve both livestock health and grassland biodiversity. Similarly, in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, community-owned conservancies lease land to safari operators, providing households with steady income that remained resilient even during the COVID-19 tourism crash. By integrating market connectivity, technology, and land rights, these models transform nature into a productive asset that pays for education and security, ensuring that environmental restoration and economic prosperity go hand in hand.