Our Work
Despite the critical role of livestock and grasslands for the Mara’s sustainability and Maasai wellbeing, the health of these grasslands is increasingly threatened by pressures including land fragmentation, privatization, tourism, urban development, growing local population needs, and climate change.
The Mara Grassroots Movement (MGM) aims to reverse this trend by raising awareness in the region about the crucial role that effective grassland management plays in maintaining the ecological and economic health of the Mara. MGM also supports local pastoralists by providing tools and resources necessary to develop grassroots solutions.
To achieve our objectives, we engage collaboratively across multiple levels: directly in the field with Maasai pastoralists and community groups; through local schools involving teachers and pupils; and by fostering dialogue with regional stakeholders such as conservancy managers, NGO representatives, and academic institutions.
The problem
As environmental scientist Robin Reid notes in Savannas of Our Birth, pastoralism is the most widespread land use on Earth—yet pastoralists make up less than 4% of the global population. In African savannas, the most effective way to convert sunlight into food is through mobile herds that transform tough vegetation into meat, milk, and blood.
However, in Kenya’s Maasailand, land fragmentation and privatization have reduced herd mobility. This leads to poor grazing practices that ignore grassland ecology, accelerating desertification and its associated problems.
One consequence is the dominance of Sporobolus pyramidalis, an unpalatable grass that grazers avoid. As old growth builds up, managers often burn it to stimulate regrowth—but burning damages soil and worsens climate impacts.
Sporobolus pyramidalis—a tough, unpalatable grass largely ignored by grazers
After only 3 months of rest: no more bare soil and plant diversity. There is resilience in the ecosystem
Our approach
We promote high-density, short-duration grazing—a method that briefly concentrates livestock to break down old plant material, enrich the soil, and encourage the growth of healthier, more diverse vegetation.
We support this transformation by:
1) Partnering with Maasai communities to adopt regenerative grazing practices tailored to local conditions.
2) Educating youth on grassland ecology through outreach in local schools.
3) Engaging stakeholders across the region in ongoing dialogue to build understanding and support for sustainable grazing.
Reducing herbivore numbers in degraded savannas often worsens the problem by disrupting the natural balance between animals and grasslands. The real solution lies in regenerative grazing—a practice that restores this symbiosis and requires the full understanding and participation of pastoralist communities.
Beyond reversing desertification and alleviating poverty, regenerative grazing also has the potential to sequester vast amounts of carbon in the soil, making it a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.
Given that pastoralists represent less than 4% of the global population, supporting their transition to regenerative practices is both achievable and impactful. What’s missing is global awareness of this win-win solution.
Too much bare soil, even in the Masai Mara National Reserve
Achievements — up to fall 2025
- Outreach and Engagement:
- Conducted over 60 community meetings and presentations.
- Reached thousands of stakeholders including: elders, herders, students, conservancy managers.
Fieldwork and Partnerships:
- MoU with Ilaramatak community-based organisation (CBO).
- MoU with University of Nairobi.
First presentation at a community gathering, March 30th 2022
Meeting with community elders, May 11th 2022
Key Achievements:
- Sparked growing interest in sustainable grazing practices.
- Worked with several nature conservancies which then changed their grazing plans to move them closer to regenerative grazing practices.
- Designed and constructed affordable mobile bomas to help restore degraded lands.
- Developed a 10-month training program in concert with a local Maasai expert in regenerative grazing practices.
Challenges:
- Faces obstacles such as limited funding and the need for community consensus-building.
- Remains focused on achieving long-term ecological and social impact.
Vision and Support:
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- Supported by partners like the Kenya Wildlife Trust.
- Continues outreach to conservancies to promote:
- Healthier ecosystems
- More resilient livelihoods
- Community-led conservation models
Movable headquarters
degraded land in Ngosuani
A slight rain after a drought is enough for grass to start growing again, but these plants will not grow fully and regenerate if livestock is not managed properly.
Aitong high school, June 2nd, 2022
In the field
Welding of a corners for the first mobile boma
Our mobile boma
Presentation for the Mara Predator Project ambassadors, november 17th
Elangata Enterit, in eastern Narok county: the conditions were so harsh in November 2022 that herders were coppicing the trees to feed their goats.
Dry riverbed in Elangata Enterit, and 2 days later after a rain (next photo): these bare soil do not retain the water which rushes downhill directly into the river.
This water is lost forever to the ecosystem and the remaining plants now have to survive with even less water than before. Desertification accelerates.
© MGM 2023
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