Papua New Guinea
Strengthening integrated sustainable landscape management in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea
Lead implementing
Partners
Partners: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the lead implementing partner. The executive partner is the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA). Other partners include: European Union (EU), Government of Papua New Guinea, Enga Provincial Administration
Challenges
Over 80% of the population relies on farming and fishing and is therefore completely dependent on their environment. The lack of transport infrastructure due to the province’s geography limits both economic development and public access to health services and education. A highly imbalanced economy leaves the vast majority of the population rural and poor, and that has significantly hampered diversification of the economy beyond the extraction of raw materials and agricultural products.
Goal
To strengthen sustainable and inclusive economic development in the province of Enga, Papua New Guinea. The innovative approach to rural development aims to bring together government systems, private sector and community action to present a model for climate compatible green growth while building resilience to crises and shocks.
Landscapes
Enga Province, in the Highland Region of Papua New Guinea, covers 11,704 km2, spread over an altitude of below 200 m to 3,800 m. Just 27% of the area is suitable for agriculture. The province’s diverse environment hosts extremely rich biodiversity but faces degradation. Other significant challenges include rapid population increase, deforestation to create more farm land and Enga’s vulnerability to shocks and disasters.
Approach
This project aims to build on and catalyse the work of existing government and development partner programmes to overcome threats to sustainable land use, biodiversity, ecosystem services and ecological processes; as well as overcoming barriers to sustainable green growth.
Specific actions
The project will support governments in developing climate compatible regulations for climate change adaptation and mitigation, land-use planning, climate-smart agriculture and disaster risk reduction. A vulnerability assessment will identify potential climate risks and their impacts, and feasibility studies focused on subsistence agriculture in Enga Province. Improved digital mapping and High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stocks (HCS) risk maps will improve knowledge of existing conditions and challenges. Food and nutritional security will be strengthened through discussions with small-scale farmers to improve vegetable and crop production, as well as enabling access to finance. Capacity building sessions will support farmers and women’s groups to develop climate-resilient approaches and agricultural techniques. The project will also build the capacity of provincial environment officials, especially women, to improve the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity, land and forest ecosystems.
Contacts
- Sam Moko, sam.moko@undp.org
- Ahmadjamshed Khoshbeen, ahmadjamshed.khoshbeen@undp.org
