Bangladesh includes beaches that are both sandy and muddy, estuaries, and mangrove swamps that act as substrates and habitats for the growth of many kinds of seaweeds. Bangladesh’s coastline is 710 kilometres long, and its coastal area is 47,201 kilometres square. Around 30 million people live in 19 coastal districts of Bangladesh, and the bulk of them depend on the sea for their daily livelihood. Educating coastal residents about seaweed-producing techniques can change their way of living.
Prologue
According to history, the first seaweed was cultivated in Tokyo, Japan, in 1670. Its commercial cultivation began in 1940. Along with Japan, many other Asian nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, began cultivating it.
In Bangladesh, conventional seaweed usage is quite uncommon. Seaweed has only been consumed by members of the Mog or Rakhine tribes and those who live on St. Martin’s Island. Seaweeds are a type of marine plants that Mogs have always held in high regard. Seaweed is referred to as “Hejla” there. They eat seaweeds in the same way that they eat other unconventional foods. Since this is the only location where seaweeds are collected and prepared for shipment to Myanmar, St. Martin’s Island makes the most use of them. Beyond this kind of use, young girls and post-pregnant women there occasionally eat seaweed as a healing meal. In the past, adult females occasionally consumed boiled seaweed for health reasons. There, the growing plants use rotten seaweed as a fertiliser.
Types of seaweeds found in Bangladesh
There are 200 different types of seaweed that may be found along Bangladesh’s coastline, 14 of which are commercially viable. Various seaweeds that are significant commercially for Bangladesh include:
1. Caulerpa racemosa
2. Enteromorpha sp.
3. Gelidiella tenuissima
4. Gelidium pusillum
5. Halymenia discoidea
6. Hypnea pannosa
7. Hydroclathrus clathratus
8. Sargassum sp.
9. Enteromorpha monilifera
10. Padina tetrastromatica
11. Catenella spp.
12. Porphyra spp.
13. Gelidium amansii
14. Codium fragile
Culture period and methods of plantation
The cultural period lasts from September to March on coastal farms. However, very few farmers grow during the entire year. Cultures of Gelidiella and Gelidium are carried out from September to March. Halymenia can be cultivated from December to February, while Enteromorpha can be grown from January to March. November to February provides favourable environmental circumstances for Padina farming, while December to February provides ideal conditions for Caulerpa culture. Sargassum can be grown from November to March, and Porphyra from December to March, however, hypnea is perennially grown.
Commercial initiatives collect wild seeds from depths of up to 15 metres to begin the seaweed plantation procedure. Farmers typically plant the seaweed 1 to 5 metres deep within three days after collecting it. The seeds are separated by 6 to 8 inches on a rope that is approximately 15 metres long. Farmers can also cultivate seaweed by employing nets with a mesh size of 4 by 4 or 8 by 8 metres. Plants should be located where there are few waves, no pollutants, and a plentiful supply of natural seaweed.
The economic prospect of seaweeds in Bangladesh
Seaweed farming, with an annual production of around 33 billion tons valued at USD 13.3 billion and predicted to become USD 85 billion by 2026, has one of the highest growth rates of any aquaculture industry globally. China, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines, and Japan are the top five nations in the world for seaweed production, according to FAO.
300 households in Nuniarchara, Inani Beach, and Reju Khal of Cox’s Bazar generated 390 tons of seaweed in 2020, with potential uses in the culinary, cosmetic, feed, and pharmaceutical industries. Men and women both work in the seaweed industry. However, 390 tons of wet seaweed may now be purchased for BDT 23.4 million at BDT 60 per kg. But the price of dried seaweed is higher depending on its use. For example, dried seaweed costs BDT 300 per kg when used in food and feed, but BDT 1,000 per kg when used in cosmetic and medicinal products. When drying seaweed, vacuum packaging and quality control are crucial to maintaining higher prices.
Bangladesh consumes 47,775kg of seaweed annually for food, 11,700kg for feed and manure, 13,650kg for cosmetics, and 24,375kg for pharmaceuticals, according to a study by Chattogram University and FAO. The study estimates that they could soon contribute BDT 55.87 million to Bangladesh’s Blue Economy. Local seaweed exporters claim Bangladesh has a ready market for the product with a potential market value of close to USD 20 million. If the full potential of this crop is realised, millions of jobs might be produced for inhabitants of coastal communities like Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Noakhali, Patuakhali, and Satkhira.
On the other hand, women perform the bulk of the tasks associated with sowing, seedling, seaweed harvest, and other seaweed-related activities. It is expected that women’s involvement in the seaweed farming sector will lead to positive changes in women’s empowerment in society.
Existing problems in seaweed farming
Producers of seaweed in Bangladesh deal with a number of difficulties. 7 significant challenges are listed below,
1. Climate Change impacts: Cyclones typically cause 50% of the farms’ structures to be damaged.
2. Environmental Pollution: It hinders the growth of seaweeds
3. Turbid water: Coastal waters become turbid and dirty during rainy seasons which hampers the culture
4. Strong waves: They destroy the seaweed farms, causing the producers to lose money.
5. Security: Farm instrument is occasionally stolen.
6. Short production Cycle: A short production cycle hampered seaweed production.
7. Lack of technical know-how: Due to lack of technical know-how, farmers often choose inappropriate locations for cultivation.
The lack of post-harvest technologies is the biggest technological obstacle in Bangladesh. For the cultivation of seaweeds, seed banks are essential because there aren’t any quality seeds available throughout the culture stage. The low farm gate price of seaweeds, the absence of value-added items, a very shoddy supply chain, insufficient financial support, and inadequate research support are additional obstacles to the growth of a seaweed business in Bangladesh.
Recommendations for future
The government of Bangladesh is increasing the number of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in order to reach the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which will restrict fishing in specific areas. Therefore, farming seaweed might be the best alternative profession available for fishermen to make a living. But in order to maintain this business, research is required, and as Bangladesh lacks a seaweed tissue culture facility, one must be built. The tax on seaweed production should be as low as possible because doing so will make it less likely for local fishermen to catch illegal fish. Besides, a strong value chain is needed in Bangladesh’s seaweed industry to ensure the proper economic returns.
Conclusive thoughts
The development of seaweed production may fail even in the presence of suitable biological, technological, and environmental circumstances if social and economic conditions are unfavourable. These factors are equally crucial for Bangladesh’s effective growth of seaweed cultivation. Seaweed may readily be added to the nation’s modest export portfolio, which would significantly aid in alleviating poverty and the ongoing unemployment issue. Seaweed is imported by the United States, Japan, Singapore, and certain European nations; Bangladesh may look into these markets. The development of seaweed farming is also influenced by the market. Artificial cultivation is not required if demand is modest and there are sufficient natural resources. However, measures may be made to boost production utilising resource management strategies as demand rises. However, in addition to fishing in the sea, one additional source of employment can be the cultivation of seaweed. It can be a lucrative industry, particularly for women. If industrial entrepreneurs from related disciplines step forward in collaboration with the government, they may create a door to a new world in the Blue Economy sector of Bangladesh.
