The Seaweed Cluster Initiative in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Abstract

Since the start of seaweed farming in 1989, farmers in Tanzania have been producing the seaweed and selling to the buyers who export it to Denmark, France, USA, and Spain. What has been persisting in the seaweed industry is that seaweed production fluctuates between 4000 and 6000 MT of dry seaweed (Msuya 2005) with the highest ever of 9000 MT in 2002 (Table 1). This is (very) low production and there is potential to increase the production through the management/modification of the farming technique. The market is available for higher production because the buyers/exporters would like a production of up to 20,000 MT (Buyers, personal communication). The increase in production could result in the increase of seaweed prices within the country as the business running costs would be lowered. Associated with the low production is the problem of the die-off of the higher priced Kappaphycus alvarezii (Cottonii). The species is more prone to environmental changes compared with the low priced Eucheuma denticulatum (Spinosum). The die-offs are experienced in some parts of the country mostly Zanzibar and Tanga. Possible causes of the die-offs have been studied recently (Mmochi et al. 2005) and thus there is need to try and combat the problem. The produced seaweed is exported in bulk, with no use in the country. Exporting in bulk leads to low prices paid to the producers (farmers). As a result, complaints from the farmers over the seaweed prices are not uncommon. There is also a potential to farm other seaweed species such as Gracilaria (and Hypnea) for production of a different gel agar as opposed to carrageenan produced from the current farmed species. Agar is used by mushroom growers (and food processors) in Tanzania (and abroad) and laboratory cultures in schools, universities, hospitals and so on. The two seaweed species grow naturally in Tanzania. Some scientific studies on these species have been done in the country (Kivaisi and Buriyo 2005) and the CI would like to use the available information do make trial farming of Gracilaria and disseminated the species to farmers. The aim of the Seaweed Cluster Initiative (Seaweed CI or CI) is to address these problems and tap the scientific information for the benefit of the farmers and the country at large. The basis of the aim of the CI is that there is a possibility to increase seaweed production through modifying the farming technique and adding value to the produced seaweed. 1. Trying to solve the problem of cottonii die-off that would have two effects: producing more seaweed through enabling production of cottonii; and raising the income of the framers by enabling them to farm the high priced cottonii. 2. Standardisation of 1 farms is one way of increasing the production per unit area. Standardisation enables the use of more space within the same farming areas because not much space would be wasted as it is the case with the current farming technique. 3. Looking for ways of using the produced seaweed within the country through adding value to the seaweed. Semi- processing and full processing to make seaweed products would fetch higher prices than the bulk-unprocessed seaweed and will give the farmers a chance to use the seaweed that they produce. 4. To enable the farming of new seaweed species that would add income to the farmers.