PIGS – Preserving biodiversity, food security and community involvement through feral pig management in Wallis & Futuna

Feral pigs severely impact biodiversity, food security, and human health in Wallis & Futuna. The PIGS project aims to manage these invasive populations through research, local capacity-building, and community involvement, in partnership with customary authorities, to restore ecosystems and strengthen resilience.

In Wallis & Futuna, feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are among the most damaging invasive species, threatening native forests, endemic fauna, agriculture, and public health. Traditionally raised for cultural purposes, pigs have spread through “marronage”, creating wild populations that devastate crops, consume coconut crabs, and act as reservoirs of diseases such as leptospirosis. Their impacts undermine both biodiversity conservation and food security, key challenges for this small island territory highly vulnerable to climate change.

Building on lessons from the regional PROTEGE programme, and at the request of customary authorities, the Territorial Environment Service has designed the PIGS project with the support of the KIWA Initiative and in partnership with the Agriculture Department. Running from August 2025 to January 2027, the project will assess feral pig populations, study their impacts, and develop management and monitoring protocols on pilot sites. A strong emphasis is placed on community participation and capacity-building, including training of local managers, village leaders, and associations.

By reducing feral pig pressure, the project will contribute to forest regeneration, protect endangered species, improve crop yields, and strengthen climate resilience, ensuring healthier ecosystems and more sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

Project objectives

The PIGS project aims to control feral pig populations in Wallis & Futuna in order to preserve biodiversity, improve food security, and strengthen community resilience. It combines scientific research, capacity-building, and the involvement of customary authorities and local communities. The Territorial Environment Service (STE), with strong experience in invasive species management and ecosystem restoration, coordinates the project with support from the Agriculture Department.

• Objective 1: Generate new knowledge on the abundance, distribution, behaviour and impacts of feral pigs, and develop monitoring and management protocols for pilot sites.
• Objective 2: Strengthen local capacities through training of managers, associations and village leaders, while ensuring strong ownership by customary authorities in the implementation of management actions.
• Objective 3: Achieve ecological, agricultural and social co-benefits, including forest regeneration, protection of endangered species, increased crop yields, improved human health, and enhanced resilience to climate change.

Social inclusion and gender equity

The PIGS project recognizes the importance of gender equality, social inclusion, and participation of vulnerable groups in natural resource management. While invasive species management has traditionally involved male-dominated tasks, the project actively promotes equitable participation across all community groups.

• Conducted consultations with women, youth, and village representatives to identify barriers and opportunities for inclusion.
• Organized targeted training sessions for women and young people on monitoring, data collection, and sustainable management practices.
• Encouraged joint leadership of management activities by men and women, ensuring decision-making and fieldwork are inclusive.
• Integrated gender-sensitive indicators in project monitoring to track participation and benefit distribution.
• Promoted awareness of GEDSI issues within the community to strengthen social cohesion and equitable access to resources and knowledge.

These actions aim to reduce gender disparities, empower vulnerable groups, and enhance community ownership of environmental management.