In supporting the Papua New Guinea Government’s efforts towards conservation, natural resource management and sustainable land use and reduction of greenhouse gases, the USAID Papua New Guinea Sustainable Landscapes hosted a workshop this week to equip the stakeholders.
The workshop was held from the 26th to the 30th of June in Port Moresby, the key stakeholders discussed best practices to advance efforts in addressing sustainable land use, environmental conservation, forest governance, and natural resource management in Papua New Guinea especially in Madang and Morobe provinces.
Participants were able to identify challenges and proposed solutions to address issues of land governance, resource management, and land use affecting communities in the two provinces. The workshop also allowed participants to review priority activity areas for partnership, and the best practices in sustainable land use, protection of natural resources, and promoting the rights of landowners and community efforts in natural resource management.
The sessions encouraged participants to work with the private sector in the forestry and agricultural sector to identify value chains and market chains that allow sustainable practices to support Small and Medium Enterprises.
The USAID PNG Sustainable Landscapes Program Chief of Party Dr Gae Gowae, highlighted that, “it is important to bring key partners together to plan, prioritize and collaborate in supporting the government’s efforts to promote sustainable land use practices and natural resource management in the country.”
It is the first year of implementation, stakeholders had the opportunity to reflect on the program and activities including providing support to protect communities and their natural resources.
“Our role is to support the government and empower communities in the targeted areas in Madang and Morobe to know their rights and responsibilities in protecting their land and natural resources while improving their livelihoods,” Dr Gowae added.
The PNG Sustainable Landscapes program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Palladium supports the Government of Papua New Guinea’s efforts towards conservation, natural resource management and sustainable land use and reduction of greenhouse gases.
