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Seaweed farming to be launched on commercial scale

Staff Reporter

Positive results from experimental projects by Adak

KOCHI: With positive results from experimental projects in the State, the Agency for Development of Aquaculture, Kerala (Adak), is optimistic that seaweed cultivation can soon be launched on a commercial scale in the State.

The agency has already drawn up proposals for seaweed farming projects across the coastal districts in the State.

The proposals includes holding of detailed survey, creation of awareness among the people, identification of self-help groups and training of people for seaweed farming, Adak sources said.

The proposal for seaweed farming projects comes as a follow-up to the pilot projects launched late last month at Aarattuvazhikadappuram in Njarakkal and Poyya in Thrissur. Experimental farming is also being done at Thangasseri in Kollam district.

The pilot projects have shown encouraging results, the sources said.

Seaweed farming is being looked upon as a new means of ensuring livelihood for the fishermen community.

M. Sakthivel, president of the Chennai-based Aquaculture Foundation of India, said if seaweed cultivation was taken up as a major programme in the country, it would be possible to rehabilitate at least 2,00,000 poor coastal families and generate an income of Rs.2,000 crore yearly. Seaweed production globally is a $8 billion business with total production put at around 12 million tonnes.

China leads the world in seaweed production. Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia are major producers.

India is rich in seaweed resources and its cultivation is catching up on the east coast. Thought the sea on the west coast is rougher, it is possible to conduct seaweed cultivation, the sources said. It is with this in view that the experimental projects are on in the State.

According to a presentation on seaweed cultivation by Dr. Sakthivel, wild seaweeds are harvested for agar and algin production especially in the area of Gulf of Mannar.

Income generation

According to the presentation, several hundred women depend on wild seaweed collection for their livelihood and that this coastal community could be rehabilitated from wild seaweed collection to scientific farming.

It will be possible to generate an income of at least Rs.10,000 per family per month.

Seaweeds are plants of the sea without root and shoot systems. They are also called `sea vegetables' and are rich in minerals and vitamins. Seaweeds are considered medical food of the 21st century.

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