To boost the blue economy sector, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania is implementing a special strategy to strengthen the seaweed sector across both the Mainland and the Isles.
The robust initiative reflects the strategies of the 2050 National Development Vision for Tanzania’s blue economy sector, aiming at professional value addition to marine produce.
The programme targets capacitating seaweed farmers and related stakeholders with the necessary skills in proper harvesting, drying, processing, packaging and marketing of sea moss products.
Speaking in Parliament on behalf of the Minister of Industry, Mr Dennis Londo, Deputy Foreign Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, said the programme is being implemented in cooperation with a number of stakeholders, including development partners.
He stated that, in Zanzibar, the programme is taking place in cooperation with a Zanzibar-based seaweed company to impart processing capacity to those engaged in the sector.
He detailed that the Government, through the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment), was partnering with the Tanzania Trade Development Authority (TanTrade) to source reliable markets for the best marine products, both within and outside the country.
“Most of the seaweed from Tanzania is sold raw due to poor processing technology and capacity, exacerbating the situation and resulting in low prices,” he observed.
In further efforts to improve the sector, he informed the House that the Government was developing another initiative with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to empower women seaweed farmers to process sea moss.
According to him, the useful training programme has already reached at least 33 women’s groups.
“Moreover, the Government is now considering including seaweed among the crops sold through the warehouse receipt system in order to boost and stabilise its prices,” he assured.
Seaweed has become one of the potential marine products in Tanzania, and it is currently processed into diverse products, including medicines, cosmetics and food items.
Seaweed farming in Zanzibar is a vital, women-led industry that employs over 23,000 to 25,000 farmers, more than 80 percent of whom are women across Unguja and Pemba islands.