Environmental Networking Platform for Children and Youth by SAMSUNG E&A
Stay connected with Eco-generation :
| Share 
| 
- Home >
- Our Actions >
- Ambassador report
7
Comments
Shifting Agriculture |
|---|
|
After WWF introduced seaweed farming as another economic trade in 2012, many fishermen turned to seaweed farming as their major alternative activity to fishing, to raise additional money for their families. The additional income helps, but meeting their basic costs still remains difficult.
The cultivation of seaweed was introduced in our village by WWF through Mr. Gaëtan Tovondrainy, the WWF project manager for Toliara. He gave us the seeds to plant and trained some of us on how to cultivate the seaweed,? one farmer said. The program is run collaboration with Copefrito, the biggest seafood collector company in the South West Region. WWF contributes seeds and materials and Copefrito provides technical support, training for the farmers and buys the products. The seaweed farming was introduced as a sustainable alternative to the cultivation of maize, cassava sweet potatoes and overfishing which was damaging the local marine environment. The local people are now able to rely on more than the daily catch to provide for their families, but life in this region is hard and the farmers can still find it hard to provide three square meals to their families. Farmers say they need another extra income generation activity to promote their wellbeing. Zafy is the man who now trains the farmers to cultivate the seaweed. He also tests the farm sites in the sea and nurses new seeds for the farmers. Zafy describes what it means to be a seaweed farmer. A farmer can earn 50 000 ariary in 45 days if he/she cultivates 30-40 lines of 10 meters each. When we cultivate this plant during the off season, it is often attacked by a disease called ?Ice-Ice?. This attacks the plants and gives us extra work. We are forced to use 2 to 3 hours of our time every day to clean the lines of the seaweed farms. A line of seaweed can take us 5 to 10 minutes to clean off all the bacteria and remove all the bad seaweeds
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous : Soap Making Tutorial from Used...
7 Comments
Thank you for sharing, Israel!
Posted 30-11-2014 13:32
Seadweed farming is also related to fishing in many regions like- Japan, China, Korea etc..Also Seaweed farming has frequently been developed as an alternative to improve economic conditions and to reduce fishing pressure and overexploited fisheries.
Thank you for sharing. I really learn a lot :)
Posted 29-09-2014 02:00
Thanks , Israel , for very interesting topic and nicely written report .
Seaweed farming is indeed a sustainable alternative livelihood that protects the environment, provides economic growth, allows for sustainable resource management and creates a brighter future for coastal communities. It is a great way to bring sustainability to coastal environments and communities.
Posted 28-09-2014 21:14
Well reported Israel. Seaweed farming, making them disease free & later on the guidance on selling price will act as great motivation for the farmers.
Ideas for Extra income are always welcome & if they are eco-friendly then the cause is strengthened.
Posted 28-09-2014 19:14
Hello Israel!
That was indeed informative of which I was less aware.
Thank you a lot for the information.
I am all set to do some more research about this more to horizon my awareness.
Regards,
Abhilash from India :)
Posted 28-09-2014 02:31
Hi Israel! :) Seaweed farming is also a major alternative activity for fishing here in our region. :) However, there is another technology that is actually emerging to the community, and that is the Aquaponics System. It grows both leafy vegetables and fish (that can live in fresh water) and integrates a cyclical process of water system to lower the operating cost and increase profit.
The community might want to integrate this system in order to increase their income. :)
Posted 28-09-2014 01:07
Seaweed is yummy! I think it's good for the countries that face the problem of flood ruining agriculture site:)
Posted 27-09-2014 19:03