Conservation is Cultivation: Protecting Wildlife to Sustain Food Systems

International Endangered Species Day (May 16th) is a reminder that protecting wildlife goes hand in hand with protecting our food systems, water sources, and the livelihoods of rural communities. For smallholder farmers, healthy ecosystems are not a luxury – they’re a necessity. Productive harvests rely on fertile soils, balanced biodiversity, and pollinators. In Kenya, crops like coffee and cocoa depend heavily on insect pollination. But pollinator populations have dropped by over 60% due to climate change and habitat degradation, placing food security under real threat.

We’ve always placed ecology at the heart of sustainable farming. Whether conserving endangered giraffes and turtles, restoring native plant species, or preserving pollinators through regenerative agriculture, our work shows how conservation and cultivation must go hand in hand.

A Generation Rising to the Challenge

Kenya is home to one of the fastest-growing youth populations in the world. And across the country, young people are already helping to shape a more sustainable future from removing plastic waste on beaches, to planting trees and building eco-loos that protect vital water sources. We incorporate conservation into every youth programme we deliver. Our school visits at the Nguuni Nature Sanctuary, the climate education modules on the Haller Farmers App, and hands-on volunteering initiatives are designed to build knowledge, spark curiosity, and empower action.

Recently, pupils from the Haller Library joined Kenya Wildlife Services to release 80 green turtle hatchlings into the wild. Green turtles are endangered, facing threats from poaching, plastic pollution, coastal development, and climate change. By releasing hatchlings in protected areas, our students are not just helping restore a species, they’re contributing to the health of local marine ecosystems. These turtles play a vital role in maintaining seagrass beds and coral reefs, which in turn support fish populations and strengthen food systems for coastal communities.

Conservation isn’t only about iconic species. It’s about protecting the networks that support rural life and livelihoods. At our demonstration farm, we teach farmers how to build integrated aquaculture systems, like chicken-fish setups and aquaponics, that enhance food production while using minimal water and waste.

But these systems depend on balance. The loss of key insects, amphibians and aquatic plants—many of them endangered can disrupt the entire chain. That’s why conservation isn’t a separate track from agriculture, it’s the foundation for sustainable farming and we integrate it in all of our methods. Thriving ecosystems provide more than beauty, they offer value: clean water, pollination, soil health, and climate resilience.

By training farmers to act as stewards of their land, we’re not only regenerating ecosystems, we’re building resilient local economies. Every turtle saved, every tree planted, every eco-loo built is a step toward a future where food, water, and livelihoods are secure.

Support Our Work

For Endangered Species Day, we’re asking you to help us protect the ecosystems that protect us. Your donation enables Haller to continue delivering climate education, sustainable agriculture training, and conservation initiatives that benefit people and planet alike. Together, we can make regeneration possible.