Environmental Education & Advocacy (EEA) 

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Rice fields in Hako, 2011

Food Security

Rice has become a staple food in PNG but has not traditionally been grown locally. HWC is fostering dry field rice growing as a supplementary crop requiring only small blocks of garden plots. In this climate, up to 3 crops a year can be achieved.​
The Environmental Education & Advocacy  team works to protect Hako’s environment, heritage and culture and to promote the proper management of natural resources as mothers of the land in a matrilineal society, in partnership with Pacific Black Box.
​The team works on issues connected with environment and biodiversity, climate change and land use. The detailed program can be viewed here.
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Marilyn receiving the rice mill on behalf of HWC.

The Rice Mill Venture

The Rice Mill venture was established by HWC in 2012 as part of the strategy to improve food security in the face of climate change and the increasing population. HWC entered an agreement in 2013 to start running the rice mill, donated from New Zealand, in what is now the new Resource Centre.

EEA Actions in 2015-16

  • Design and planting of grounds around new Resource Centre, including productive garden beds 
  • set up and manage community rice mill (see below) 
  • identify and catalogue environment-related resources from shipping container 
  • organise awareness activities for World Environment Day and invite Hako schools
  • develop and conduct environmental awareness programs, digital and media activities for each age group, for Hako schools.

Related information

Climate change
Some of the outlying islands and atolls of Bougainville are less than two metres above sea level. Click here to read an article about relocation from the Cartaret Islands, or here for an article in Tok Pisin.

See also the videos on this subject made by community members with Pacific Black Box.