Rangeland Health Data Sharing and Report-Back Workshop & Visit to ICRAF Headquarters

The Laikipia Conservancies Association (LCA), in collaboration with CIFOR-ICRAF and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Africa, convened a Rangeland Health Data Sharing and Report-Back Workshop to review results from Laikipia’s ongoing soil and vegetation monitoring program. The event, held in Laikipia, brought together technical experts, conservancy managers, and restoration partners to reflect on scientific data shaping future rangeland management strategies.

The monitoring exercise, carried out between April and October 2025, applied the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF)  a globally recognized methodology for assessing and tracking land health. Data was collected from 607 plots across 23 conservancies, making it one of the most comprehensive rangeland assessments conducted in the region.

Led by Dr. Tor-G. Vågen, Principal Scientist and Head of the CIFOR-ICRAF Spatial Data Science and Applied Learning Lab, the workshop focused on:

• Sharing field experiences and lessons from implementing LDSF across Laikipia.

• Presenting and interpreting soil and vegetation data to guide restoration.

• Strengthening collaboration among conservancies on data sharing and application.

• Connecting findings with the Laikipia Landscape Restoration Carbon Project, ensuring climate interventions are grounded in evidence.

Preliminary findings revealed improved soil health, enhanced vegetation recovery, and reduced erosion rates between 2017 and 2024, underscoring the positive impact of coordinated restoration and adaptive grazing practices championed by LCA and its partners.

“The use of science and data in managing our rangelands is transforming how conservancies make decisions. It ensures that every intervention is measurable, meaningful, and sustainable,” — LCA Member Conservancy.

In line with this, on 28th October 2025, LCA visited the ICRAF Headquarters in Nairobi for an experiential learning session on soil and vegetation analysis. The visit provided hands-on exposure to ICRAF’s Living Soil and Geospatial Labs, where advanced technologies such as infrared spectroscopy and real-time geospatial data processing are applied to assess rangeland and soil health. The engagement deepened understanding of data-driven decision-making and strengthened partnerships for the rollout of the LCA Data Hub a central platform that will support evidence-based restoration and monitoring across Laikipia.

“The use of science and data in managing our rangelands is transforming how conservancies make decisions. It ensures that every intervention is measurable, meaningful, and sustainable.” — LCA Representative

Together, these two engagements mark a significant milestone in advancing data-driven rangeland management across Laikipia combining science, technology, and community stewardship to build resilient landscapes and sustainable livelihoods.