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This study investigates the relationship between rural poverty, property rights, and environmental resource management in a semi-arid region of Kenya using analysis of survey data. It argues that reduced environmental degradation will increase agricultural productivity, and which will then translate into lower levels of poverty as incomes and consumption expenditures rise. It also suggests that environmental quality, productivity and poverty are unaffected by property right regimes.Implications from this study include:poverty is associated with higher levels of environmental degradationwell specified property rights are associated with higher productivity and lower povertyenvironmental conservation is an important mechanism for escaping poverty.Summarily, the study recommends that:there is a need to speed up privatisation of the remaining group ranches so that the community can enjoy the benefits of private property. Failing that then the existing common rights systems ought to be enhanced in-order to boost productivity and reduce povertyenvironmental conservation and preservation of biomass be encouraged in-order to improve productivity and reduce povertythere is a need to address factors governing the link between poverty, environmental conservation and productivity, especially development of markets, infrastructure and reduced family size.[author]
