The acclaimed Kenyan conservationist, Ian Craig on Tuesday July 22, 2025 visited Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology to discuss technology driven conservation and wildlife management in Kenya and beyond. Ian is accredited with transforming his family’s 62,000-acre cattle ranch into the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a leading rhino sanctuary in Kenya and UNESCO World Heritage Site. He also co-founded the Northern Rangelands Trust in 2005, which supports wildlife conservation and community development across northern Kenya.
The conservation champion noted that the ecosystem of conservation continues to evolve, calling for more innovative, sustainable and productive approaches. He noted that deployment of targeted technology and knowledge through partnerships, is key to strengthening conservation measures to promote survival of endangered species.
“Through strategic leadership, we have managed to change the narrative on conservation, which is now seen as a tool of development,” Ian said.
While receiving Ian and his team at JKUAT, Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Robert Kinyua noted that the university had distinguished itself as centre of scientific and technological excellence, capable of addressing development challenges facing Kenya and Africa at large.
Prof. Kinyua lauded Ian for his conservation leadership that has positioned Kenya and reference point ecological restoration and species revival.
“You have done an incredible work and we are proud to associate with your rich legacy even as we work together to champion more responsive and sustainable models of conservation,” Prof. Kinyua said.
Craig’s work has significantly impacted black and white rhino conservation and fostered sustainable community partnerships. In 2022, he was awarded the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa by Tusk for his contributions.
JKUAT, through the School of Biological Sciences has been involved in wildlife conservation and management research, thereby generating knowledge and data points that could be critical in preservation practices.
The University is also home to diverse expertise and facilities on areas such as AI, Data Science, GIS, engineering, and remote sensing, that could be deployed to save the world’s flora and fauna. Additionally, JKUAT active labs on species identification, ecological pattern recognition, conservation analytics comes in handy in conservation efforts.
By leveraging Ian Craig’s conservation experience and JKUAT’s technology acumen, the two sides have agreed to develop tech-based conservation models to advance biodiversity protection, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods in Africa.
Mr. Ian was accompanied to JKUAT by a team from Wild Landscapes East Africa namely Samuel Lekimaroro, mArtin Buzora, Gikaru John and Letikitik Kasaine.
The meeting was attended by Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Production and Extension), Dr. Hiram Ndiritu; and Acting Principal, College of Pure and Applied Sciences, Prof. Peter Njenga, and staff from the School of Biological Sciences.
