Soroptimist International South West Pacific

Location: Darapap Village, Murik Lakes area, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

Purpose: To enhance food security, education, and economic empowerment through the establishment of an above-ground Community Garden

SDG Goals:

2 – Zero Hunger and Food Security: The elevated above water platform garden will provide a consistent and reliable source of food for the villagers, addressing issues related to hunger and malnutrition. It will also offer surplus produce for sale, which will contribute to reducing poverty.
8 – Decent work and Economic Empowerment: This project has a direct impact on women who are responsible for food security and water supply for their families
By involving the Darapap Women’s Co-Operative Society, the project aims to create economic opportunities for women. Income generated from selling surplus produce will help women purchase essential items such as medical supplies and school materials.
4 - Educational Benefits: The project will provide learning opportunities related to sustainable agriculture and community management, contributing to the broader educational goals of the village.

The project aims to provide Darapap village with materials (timber, transportation, seeds, fertiliser etc.) to build a elevated platform above sea level, to grow a sustainable vegetable gardens, the gardens will produce their own food and to produce a surplus for selling.  This empowers the women to feed their families a healthy well-balanced diet not relying on rice and seafood only. Growing their own food enables them to earn income from the sale of excess produce at market, they can re-sprout seeds from previous crops, making it a sustainable project. The income generated helps them purchase medical and school supplies and contribute to the Darapap Women’s Co-operative Society. These women don’t need saving, they need support to do it

Latest Update on the Darapap Community Garden Project Overview
Challenges and Progress:

Impact of Climate Change: Rising sea levels and increased water salinity due to climate change are impacting local food and water resources, particularly affecting women who are key to managing these resources.

Geographical and Environmental Factors: Darapap Village is located on narrow sandbanks with challenging environmental conditions, including heavy rainfall, erosion, and sea water contamination. These factors have complicated the construction of the garden.

Recent Setbacks: The earthquake on March 25, 2024, caused damage that required a reassessment of the project’s infrastructure. New posts are being installed to ensure the garden remains above the high water line, causing some delays.

Water Supply Issues: There is no fresh running water in Darapap Village, necessitating long travels to obtain water for personal and agricultural use. This challenge is being addressed as part of the project’s broader objectives.

Community Involvement: The project is a collaborative effort involving the local community, with ongoing work demonstrating the villagers' commitment to realizing the benefits of the Community Garden.

This overview highlights the project's objectives, challenges, and the positive impact it is expected to have on the Darapap Village community.

Progress and benefits 

The completed platform combined with other initiatives will increase the capacity for food production from 50 to 70% . 

The women are excited that the proceeds from the sale of food grown in the community garden will go to the Darapap Women’s Co-operative Society, the society has its own committee which funds projects, benefiting the whole village.  Women growing their own food will also generate income from the sale of excess produce,  the women have an agreement to contribute 50 cents out of every $2 earned from the sale of their own excess food grown to the cooperative.

"The women are excited that they will have extra income to pay for schooling, medical supplies, transport costs, and other household expenses. "

The men have become involved in collecting the timber to be used for the pylons, preparing and erecting them.