Multinational and national corporations are investing heavily in Indigenous Peoples’ territories. Tourist activities are rapidly increasing in Mara - Serengeti Basin both in and around other protected areas. In Loita Plains in Narok District, a wheat processing plant is increasing wheat farming in the area. Oil, coal and other mineral exploration activities are also on the increase with western and eastern investors especially from China increasingly determining the investment and intellectual property climate not only in Kenya and the region.

Cases of biopiracy and copyright piracy are on the increase not only in the region, without free, prior and informed consent of the knowledge holders. Indigenous peoples are calling for legislated and negotiated benefit sharing settlements. For example, genes of the Maasai red sheep have been patented abroad and a local institution of higher learning is applying for the local patent. There is no consultation or benefit sharing arrangements with the Maasai community. Songs, stories, poems and artworks by indigenous communities are also being copyrighted indiscriminately. Indigenous peoples are also increasingly being used in advertisements to attract huge revenues for companies like a giant mobile phone company in Kenya. IPACC will work with indigenous communities and relevant authorities on ways to protect Intellectual Property Rights of Traditional Knowledge holders in Kenya and in the region.