Can blockchain help conserve Kenya's Masai Mara?

People from across the world flock to Kenya’s Masai Mara — one of the world’s most prized pieces of conserved land — spending exorbitant amounts to intimately witness wildlife.

But the picturesque landscape is tainted by stark inequalities. It’s home to the Masai, a pastoralist community that has long served as keepers of the land, which largely receive pittance for their role in conservation.

Half of people in counties with wildlife across Kenya live in poverty and unemployment drives poaching. Funding flowing from tourism operators toward conservation and other global donations are subject to human influence, leaving room for corruption.

But some in the technology sector hope blockchain could rectify some of these problems, creating a decentralized, transparent flow of cash to those involved in conservation in the Masai Mara — which could ultimately increase the flow of funding from a broader base of donors.

Join Devex on a journey to the Masai Mara where we document efforts to use blockchain to better preserve wildlife.