ESP Agriculture Integrated Development Project

14/10/2026

13/10/2026

Bilum is more than just a beautiful piece of handmade art.

Behind every bilum are the hands, skills, stories, traditions, and creativity of our Sepik women. Each design carries a part of our cultural identity and connects generations of knowledge.

Please come and drop by, have a look, and support our amazing Sepik women who are showcasing their beautiful bilums, craftsmanship, culture, and creativity.

📍 Come and visit
🧶 Celebrate our bilum
❤️ Support our women
🇵🇬 Celebrate our culture

Let us continue to celebrate and support the women of Sepik. See you there!

12/10/2026

💧 BORE WATER — A SOLUTION FOR EAST SEPIK DURING EL NIÑO

With the current dry conditions and the impact of El Niño, many communities in East Sepik are facing water shortages.

Rivers, creeks and other water sources can become low or unreliable.

One solution we should look at seriously is BORE WATER.

HOW CAN BORE WATER HELP?

✅ Provide reliable drinking water
✅ Support schools and health centres
✅ Provide water for livestock
✅ Support food gardens through irrigation
✅ Help communities during long dry periods
✅ Reduce dependence on rivers and creeks

But bore water must be properly drilled, tested and managed. Water quality should be checked before it is used for drinking.

WE ALREADY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE IN EAST SEPIK

The Tarawai Island Borewell Water Project is a good example of what can be achieved.

The project accesses groundwater about 30 metres underground.

☀️ Solar panels power the pump
💧 Water is pumped into a 10,000-litre tank
🚰 16 taps distribute water around the island
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 More than 50 households benefit from the project.

The project was developed through cooperation between WaterAid, the Wewak District WaSH Coordination Body and local authorities. The community also established a committee to manage and maintain the system.

🇵🇬 LET'S DO MORE

East Sepik has many rural communities, schools and health facilities that could benefit from similar water systems.

The province has already been working on expanding bore-water access. In 2025, the provincial administration reported plans to drill approximately 60 bores per year, including systems with storage tanks and solar pumping.

El Niño should be a reminder that water security must be a priority.

We should invest in:

💧 Boreholes
☀️ Solar pumps
🚰 Water tanks
🌱 Irrigation systems
🌧️ Rainwater harvesting
🔬 Water-quality testing

Bore water alone will not solve every problem, but combined with rainwater harvesting and irrigation, it can significantly improve water and food security for our communities.

WATER SECURITY = FOOD SECURITY = COMMUNITY SECURITY

Let's prepare East Sepik for the future, not just respond when the crisis comes.

08/10/2026

🌴 UNDERSTANDING OIL PALM PLANTING SPACING – 9 m × 9 m TRIANGULAR SYSTEM
Proper planting density is one of the most important decisions in establishing a productive oil palm plantation.

The image illustrates the 9 m × 9 m triangular planting system, where:
🌱 9 metres between palms
🌱 9 metres between rows
🌱 Approximately 7.8 metres between the palm and the opposite row in the triangular arrangement.

This triangular system allows palms to make better use of sunlight, space, water and soil nutrients, while maintaining sufficient room for harvesting, field access and plantation management.

📐 Why planting geometry matters

The right spacing can influence:
✅ Number of palms per hectare
✅ Light interception and canopy development
✅ Competition between palms
✅ Fertilizer efficiency
✅ Fruit production and harvesting access
✅ Long-term plantation productivity

For large-scale oil palm development, planting density should be carefully planned from the beginning, because once the palms are established, changing the layout is extremely difficult.

08/10/2026

⚠️ EL NIÑO AWARENESS: PAPUA NEW GUINEA NEEDS TO PREPARE NOW 🇵🇬

Papua New Guinea is facing a very strong El Niño event, with conditions expected to peak between October and December 2026.

The warning signs are already being seen in parts of the country:

💧 Water sources are drying up
🌱 Crops are being affected
🍚 Food supplies are coming under pressure
📈 Food prices are increasing
🔥 Dry conditions may increase bushfire risks
🌧️ Some areas may also face flash flooding and landslides

The biggest impacts on agriculture and food security are expected from November onwards.

This is not only a government issue. Every community, farmer, family, business, church and local leader has a role to play.

👉 Farmers: plan for reduced water availability and protect crops where possible.
👉 Communities: identify reliable water sources and protect existing water systems.
👉 Families: avoid unnecessary water wastage and plan ahead for possible food shortages.
👉 Local leaders: identify vulnerable communities and prepare early.
👉 Businesses and organisations: consider how drought, water shortages and transport disruptions could affect operations.

Most importantly, preparedness should start before the crisis becomes severe.

The Government has already called for provinces and districts to take early action and prepare locally for the prolonged dry conditions.

06/10/2026

This October, the 3rd Pinktober Sepik Bilum Basket Show is not only about celebrating the beautiful craftsmanship and cultural heritage of the Sepik — it is also an opportunity for our community to stand together and raise awareness about breast cancer and cervical cancer. 💗

📍 Sir Michael Thomas Somare Stadium, Wewak
📅 12th – 14th October 2026

💗 Why Pinktober matters
Breast cancer and cervical cancer affect women and families across Papua New Guinea. Awareness, early detection, regular health checks and seeking medical advice early can make an important difference.

On Wednesday, 14 October, the event will focus on:
🎗️ Breast Cancer Awareness
🎗️ Cervical Cancer Awareness

Let us use this occasion to talk openly, share information, encourage our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends to look after their health, and support those affected by cancer.

🧺 At the same time, let us celebrate the strength and creativity of Sepik women through the beautiful art of bilum and basket weaving.

05/10/2026

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄. 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐈𝐓. 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐘 𝐈𝐓. 🏡

When we build our homes, improve our villages, support local businesses and create opportunities, we are investing in the place we call 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄.

Development is not only about what others can bring to us. It is also about what each of us can contribute. If this is the place you call home, take part in shaping it.

In Turubu, development has created a foundation; may provide the foundation, but 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

A woman planting beside her home may seem like an ordinary scene, but behind it is something meaningful — growing food, supporting her family and building a livelihood from the land around her.

Behind the growth of village are also the developers, builders, landowners and local communities who have contributed over the years — turning plans into roads, homes, facilities and places where families can build their lives.

A better home, a cleaner surrounding, a small business, a job created, or a helping hand — every effort may seem small, but together they can bring meaningful change to the whole community.

📍 Turubu, East Sepik Province

04/10/2026

Fertilizer is one of the biggest investments in oil palm production — but more fertilizer does not always mean more yield. The key is applying the right nutrients, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place.

N — Nitrogen
Supports leaf growth, canopy development and overall palm vigour.

P — Phosphorus
Important for root development, establishment and energy transfer within the palm.

K — Potassium
A critical nutrient for fruit bunch development, bunch weight, water regulation and overall yield.

Instead of simply applying a standard 15-15-15 NPK everywhere, a smarter approach is to:

✅ Test soil and leaf nutrient levels
✅ Understand the nutrient requirements of the palms
✅ Adjust fertilizer rates according to palm age and field conditions
✅ Apply smaller amounts more frequently where appropriate
✅ Reduce nutrient losses from heavy rainfall and runoff
✅ Return Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and other organic matter to the field where suitable
✅ Monitor palm growth, leaf condition and yield response

The goal is not simply to use more fertilizer, it is to use fertilizer more efficiently.

For large-scale oil palm plantations, precision nutrient management can help reduce wastage, improve palm health and support sustainable production.

01/10/2026

AGRICULTURE: BUILDING A STRONGER FUTURE FOR PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Agriculture remains one of the most important sectors of Papua New Guinea’s economy, supporting the livelihoods of more than 80% of the rural population and contributing significantly to household incomes, food security and export earnings.

Sustainable agricultural development is not only about increasing production — it is about empowering farmers, improving market access, strengthening rural communities and creating opportunities for future generations.

Through agricultural research and partnerships, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) works together with Papua New Guinea to support:

- Improved food production and food security
- Stronger smallholder vegetable and staple-crop systems
- Development of cocoa, coffee, coconut and oil palm value chains
- Sustainable forestry and agroforestry
- Greater opportunities for women and rural communities
- Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
- Better access to markets, technology and agricultural services
- Improved management of agricultural biosecurity threats
- Diversification of rural enterprises and household incomes

The future of PNG agriculture depends on strong partnerships between farmers, communities, government, researchers and the private sector.



https://www.aciar.gov.au/pacific/papua-new-guinea

29/09/2026

🌱𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐭! 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

Oil palm fronds are more than just plantation waste. When properly managed, they can become a natural source of nutrients and organic matter for the soil.

What happens when fronds decompose?
As they break down, they return nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus back into the soil, helping maintain soil fertility and improve organic matter.

Simple practices you can adopt:
Place pruned fronds between palm rows
Chop fronds into smaller pieces to encourage faster decomposition
Use fronds as natural ground cover
Reduce w**d growth and moisture loss
Reduce reliance on fertiliser over time

Better plantation management starts with using what we already have. Instead of removing or burning palm fronds, let nature recycle them back into the plantation.

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil - RSPO