In Papua New Guinea’s Conflict Islands, conservation and livelihoods go hand in hand.

A recent village chicken training is helping communities strengthen food security while supporting efforts to protect turtles, sharks and coral reefs.

Conflict Island Conservation Initiative (CICI) has partnered with Kyeema in PNG to deliver village chicken training across three communities. The training aimed to strengthen household livelihoods while complementing ongoing community led conservation efforts across the islands. By improving access to reliable sources of food and income, village chickens can help reduce pressure on vulnerable marine wildlife and support long term ecosystem health.

The training formed part of the Empowering Community Conservation Rangers in Papua New Guinea project, led by the Conflict Island Conservation Initiative and supported by Climate Action for a Resilient Asia, a UK Government funded program. The broader initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience and marine biodiversity across the Conflict Islands by establishing protected areas and equipping communities with the skills and leadership needed to implement adaptive, nature-based conservation and sustainable resource management.

Across the Conflict Islands, communities are already leading conservation efforts to address key environmental challenges, including turtle poaching, shark finning, coral bleaching and marine pollution. These pressures threaten not only biodiversity but also the long-term health of coral reefs, fisheries and marine ecosystems that communities depend on. Through education, community engagement and the strengthening of local conservation ranger programs, communities are working to protect turtle nesting areas, reduce shark finning and safeguard the broader marine ecosystems that sustain their livelihoods.