Ideas worth spreading

Why Africa needs community-led conservation

1,571,110 views |

Resson Kantai Duff |

TEDWomen 2021

• December 2021

Conservation efforts in Africa have typically been led by "parachute conservationists" -- outsiders who drop in thinking they have all the answers, hire locals to implement them and then disappear. But conservationist Resson Kantai Duff has a better way to save wildlife in Africa: let locals lead these efforts themselves. She calls for a major shift in how conservation in Africa works, showing why the people closest to the land are the ones best fit to care for it.

Conservation efforts in Africa have typically been led by "parachute conservationists" -- outsiders who drop in thinking they have all the answers, hire locals to implement them and then disappear. But conservationist Resson Kantai Duff has a better way to save wildlife in Africa: let locals lead these efforts themselves. She calls for a major shift in how conservation in Africa works, showing why the people closest to the land are the ones best fit to care for it.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Donate to Ewaso Lions to support a locally led conservation organization in Africa.

Visit Women for the Environment to support women's leadership of the environment in Africa.

About the speaker

Resson Kantai Duff

Resson Kantai Duff

Conservationist

See speaker profile

Resson Kantai Duff is the deputy director of Ewaso Lions, an organization dedicated to promoting coexistence between people and lions in northern Kenya.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Donate to Ewaso Lions to support a locally led conservation organization in Africa.

Visit Women for the Environment to support women's leadership of the environment in Africa.