Local Kyeema champions leading coastal food and nutrition security and climate change action for their community in Tubusereia, Papua New Guinea.
There have been many challenges facing communities in Central Province this past year. The deteriorating COVID-19 situation, heavy rains and flooding from the severe wet season, and constant overfishing have added to the hardships. However, coral gardening and village chicken work has continued in Tubusereia with Kevin Egu and Uncle Koivi Egu taking the lead. A new coral nursery site has been established and Kevin has recruited local youths from Tubusereia who will help build the nursery and then be trained to assist in monitoring the coral. We asked Kevin what his motivation is for this work.
“I hope the coral nursery will be developed to train the next generation of community youths in coral gardening, in combination with village chicken farming.”
Above: A Google Earth view of the local community where Kevin Egu and Uncle Koivi Egu are working together.
We are lucky to be working with a young man like Kevin, who despite all the challenges PNG faces, wants to do something meaningful together for the next generation with his peers and elders in community. While the coral nursery is being built, the Karikari Village Chicken Farm – established by Kevin’s Uncle Koivi – continues to flourish and expand. As egg numbers increase, so to do the number of chicks.
Left: The new chicken house being built. Photo credit: Kevin Egu.
Over 40 have recently hatched and another 100 eggs are expected to hatch any day now! A new chicken house was proposed for the increased flock and since the wet season is finally coming to an end, work has begun. We continue to work closely with all Master Farmers to ensure biosecurity is at the forefront of their minds, so that all their hard work is not lost. The new chicken house will accommodate Uncle Koivi’s growing flock where he can continue his amazing and innovative work using local resources to raise and feed village chickens. Stay tuned for a full introduction and update later in the year.
Above photo: One the very good local breed mother hens with her chicks – old tyres have been used as nesting boxes. Photo credit: Kevin Egu.
Above video: Uncle Koivi is always trialling creative ways to feed the chickens in a way that keeps them stimulated, happy and healthy with local feeds. See him here cutting a pumpkin which he makes into a kind of ‘chicken lollipop’ for them to pick out until it is completely bare! Video credit: Igo Gari.
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