From Global to Local: An Assessment of Food Security Policy Implementation in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, conducted an independence referendum in 2019, which resulted in the region seeking a pathway to complete independence. One of the requirements in establishing independence is ensuring “good governance,” an important facet of which is establishing a stable and adequate food supply. This is framed globally as achieving Sustainable Development Goal Two (SDG #2) to end hunger and malnutrition. This article seeks to assess the measures that government and major donors have taken to implement SDG #2 in Bougainville using a pressure-state-response framework and desktop-based risk assessment to identify areas for further work. The investigation aims to identify effective policy focus areas in order to better implement SDG #2, namely, prioritising civil conflict avoidance, facilitating adaptation planning for climate regime shifts, and ensuring sustainable agricultural intensity and fisheries extraction. Based on these, recommendations for good governance include sustainable and equitable long-term interventions that reduce the risk of political disturbance and environmental degradation. As a result of engaging in this case, readers will be able to apply similar methodologies to inform development decisions in postconflict contexts. Bougainville faces similar challenges to many Pacific islands, including the impacts from climate change, food insecurity, conflict, population growth, and changing land tenure. This case can be extrapolated to these greater contexts.