Global development

Selayar in Indonesia is the gateway to Taka Bonerate, a highly biodiverse marine national park, which is under serious threat from overexploitation and ocean plastic. To protect the area and other marine environments in the Coral Triangle, UQ researchers from CCRES developed strategies to strengthen coastal management.

Enormous asymmetries exist between the people living in the South Fly region of Papua New Guinea and those living just across the border in the Torres Strait in terms of livelihoods, opportunities, and more. UQ researchers engaged with people and communities in this complex border region between PNG and Australia to develop recommendations that aim to improve the livelihoods of those residing in the South Fly.

Pacific communities are considered to be the ‘most vulnerable’ to the impacts of climate change. Consequently, aid is now being redirected to community-scale adaptation. UQ researchers are engaging with Pacific communities to evaluate community-based adaptation initiatives and generate recommendations to optimise future efforts.

UQ researchers are promoting regional approaches to make migration safer and criminalise the smuggling of migrants in Southeast Asia. The smuggling of migrants is a major concern in Southeast Asia. Every country in the region is affected as a source, transit region, or destination for migrants seeking protection or prosperity abroad.

Madagascar is one of the world’s largest producers of fine sapphires and other gems, but it is also one of the world’s poorest countries. Sapphire miners and traders are largely women, and their early position in the supply chain means they receive few of the profits to be garnered from the gemstone industry. Lynda Lawson’s doctoral research with the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) aims to change that by providing training and equipment to women sapphire workers to increase their power within the industry.

Cattle are already a valuable part of Timor-Leste culture. However, cattle smallholders are mostly subsistence farmers, and livestock productivity is typically low. A team of UQ researchers is working with partners in Timor-Leste to increase smallholders’ wealth and livelihoods in the region by training Redi Kamodi community groups to shift from subsistence to semi-commercial farming practices.

With the immense environmental challenges the world faces, our ability to adapt is vital. An international research team led by Dr Pedro Fidelman engaged with stakeholders involved with the co-management of coastal resources in Cambodia and Vietnam with the aim of understanding the conditions that enable adaptive capacity.

With limited access to innovative farming techniques and equipment, many smallholders in Pakistan are ill-equipped to take advantage of emerging food markets in Asia. UQ researchers surveyed nearly 1000 smallholder farmers in Punjab and Sindh provinces to explore how they are accessing credit and financial services, their current farming practices, and how new farming technology is adopted.