The village of Himau is located on the coast of New Ireland Province among an intricate system of freshwater streams that flow from an underground spring in highlands close to the community. This system of streams is central to the wellbeing and resilience of the community, and the community cares for it in return, ensuring it remains clean.

This water source is important for many aspects of community life. Drinking water is collected upstream where the water is purest, while the central part of the stream is used for crop irrigation and aquaculture and the coastal areas used for laundry. It’s also crucial for growing a number of traditional water crops, like leafy green watercress, as the streams supply the village with water even in the dry season.

The strong relationship the community has with the stream system was noted in their discussions with the Live & Learn PNG team as part of the Climate Resilient Islands programme, with the village describing the system as central to their strength.

With the benefits the stream system already brings, some in the community are looking at opportunities that may see it strengthen resilience even further. The Live & Learn PNG team has recently connected with a local farmer who has begun to use the water supply to irrigate a rice field, which would be the first of its kind in the Local Government Area. Rice requires a great deal of water, but there is much available.

Now, the community has begun developing plans for rice plantation training as part of its CRI resilience planning. By bringing new skills and knowledge to farmers and households in Himau on sustainable rice farming and marketing potential, as well as supplying rice seedlings to interested growers, this could develop a new source of food and income for the people of Himau.

Despite the great strength the stream system brings to Himau, they still face challenges due to the impacts of climate change. Growing rice could be a nature-based and locally-led solution to make the village more resilient to the impacts of climate change – and continue to deepen the relationship between the village and the streams that flow through it.