WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE PERMITTING SYSTEM

Welcome to the one stop portal for Research Permits in The WRTI. Please use the Applicant Checklist to ensure that you have all the documents you will need before you apply.

  • Lead time to finish application start to finish – 20 minutes
  • Filling out this form is mandatory for applying for a permit to research wildlife (e.g., plants, microorganisms, arthropods, insects, fish, large and small mammals), their habitats (e.g, landscape, marine, inland waters, soil, water), and associated genetic derivatives etc.
  • This form applies to all research designs, methods and approaches, including behavioural studies, Environmental Impact surveys, experimentation in in-situ or ex-situ, collection of parts or excreted materials or whole organisms.
  • Principal Investigator and associated undergraduates and post-graduates MUST obtain independent Research Permits and/ Letters of Affiliations (where applicable).
  • The Applicant is to fill out the form and submit it to the office of the Director, Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) Hqs, Naivasha (permits@wrti.go.ke)
  • Submit this form with the following documents: (more documents/information may be requested depending on nature of research)
    • A valid copy of a personal identification document (National ID/ Passport biodata page)  - 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 millimeters)
    • Support letter from your academic/work/ institution
    • Recommendation from your host/attached institution in Kenya (for foreigners)
    • A comprehensive research project proposal, approved and signed by the applicant institution/funding institution. The proposal should include clear objectives, methods and methodology, sample size, sample analysis and location, expected project timeframe, budget, source of funds, names of supervisor(s), and envisaged application of the research results to wildlife conservation management.
    • Grant Award Letter
    • Curriculum Vitae of the applicant
    • Ethical Review Compliance (IACUCs) report where applicable
  • After the review of your application package, and it is deemed necessary, you will be guided to develop Prior Informed Consent (PIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), and Material Transfer Agreement (MTA)
  • The permit is issued for a maximum of 12 months, with annual renewals (Refer to Form RPC/1B) subject to compliance requirements.
  • Depending on the type of research/reason for access to wildlife resources and habitats, the permit may be subject to other licences/permits from other regulatory agencies (e.g, NEMA access permit, NACOSTI licence, KWS capture permit, Immigration pass etc).
  • Provide a minimum of 60` days of processing time.
  • The permit is subject to fees payable to WRTI upon approval of this application.

Fees

Individual (Non-Kenyan researchers)

# Nature of Fee Fee
1

Doctorate/Post Doctorate Research

USD 700

2

Masters Research

USD 500

3

Undergraduate Research

USD 250

4

Affiliation

USD 120

Individual (Kenyan Students/researchers)

# Nature of Fee Fee
1

Doctorate Research

KSh. 12,000

2

Masters Research

KSh. 6,000

3

Diploma/Undergraduate /attachment

KSh. 1,200

Prior Informed Consent (PIC)

Access to wildlife resources and research is subject to written PIC from the concerned right holders.

In order to obtain PIC, the user is required to provide a full explanation as prescribed of how the wildlife resources or research is to be acquired and used.

To obtain PIC from the concerned right holders a person or institution must;

  1. Comply with community protocols or customary practices, where such protocols or practices exist; and
  2. Comply with the advice given by WRTI.

PIC granted under these regulations does not entitle the applicant to access wildlife resources or research but only enables the applicant to proceed with the application for a wildlife research permit.

To access and fill in the Prior Informed Consent click here.

The Prior Informed Consent signed by both parties MUST be uploaded with other supporting documents in your application as advised by the WRTI permits office.

Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT)

If prior informed consent is granted in accordance, the right holders and the applicant must enter into an access and benefit sharing agreement known as Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT).

MAT must be negotiated and entered into between the applicant and the right holders or their duly authorised representatives (WRTI), and may be negotiated under the guidance of the WRTI permits office and recorded in writing on the MAT guidelines template;

In addition to the type of benefits, MAT may vary on a case by case basis, and may include -

  1. Socio-economic development of the local community or right holders;
  2. Collaboration and sharing of information with academia and research institutions;
  3. Participation of right holders, academia and research in the project of wildlife resources or and
  4. Joint ownership of relevant forms of intellectual property rights.

During compliance monitoring the WRTI permits office will ascertain if all benefits contained in the MAT have accrued or been paid to the right holders.

To access and fill in the MAT click here.
Application requirements include:
  • Approved Proposal
  • WRTI Research Permit
  • NACOSTI license
  • NEMA access permit
  • Sample verification report from area scientist
  • Signed PIC
  • Signed MAT
  • signed Material Transfer Agreement
  • List of collected samples given WRTI codes
    • May require import permit from destination country
    • May require No Objection certificate from the Director of Veterinary Services
    • Recommendation from your host/attached institution in Kenya (for foreigners)
    • May require phytosanitation certificate from KEPHIS
    • Export permit from KWS