Promoting Biodiversity Conservation through Partnership in PNG

Papua New Guinea Conservation Program’s, Primary Implementing Partners specialize mostly in ecology, biodiversity research and conservation. There were minimal livelihood and gender equity aspects in their programming. US Government economic and gender equity indicators embedded in the regional program is cross cutting for the Biodiversity Conservation Programing. The program began with little to no information about other partners operating at the the provincial and sub-provincial level. Therefore, LGP took a proactive approach to understand how a blended program could produce the expected results. The LGP Small Grants program provided for enabling conditions to meet the short falls for expected deliverables. The programs field officers identifying appropriate, fit for purpose partners, and creating memorandum of understanding and letters of agreement to paved way for cost sharing and work on common goals and objectives. Forming alliances, networking with the partners, and sharing resources created opportunity for cost effective implementation. Continuously looking for potential partners, being able to establish contact and networking upscales the program profile and in the end interlinked to other partners across the sector at different levels of government. Utilizing existing community-based development partners proved essential to time bound Program. The Program takes a transparent open-door approach to share information, create awareness and attracting local partners. Local knowledge is essential, this means LGP had to utilize local technical and experienced expertise or community-based organizations to cross geopolitical boundaries (community entry, cultural barriers, communication barriers, logistic and planning information etc). At a program management level, strategizing, visualizing, planning and being proactive is key to cost effective implementations of programs. Linking program activities to national strategic plans, provincial development plans, ward development plans, organizational strategic plans, policies, and laws is crucial for funding assistance, accountability and continuity.