Seaweed - Strange 'treasure' but especially useful in securing the future of mankind

Appearing in nearly every sea of ​​the globe, seaweed is not only familiar to many coastal communities but can also play a huge role in the fight against global change.

Treasure gradually revealed

Like many coastal communities around the world, UK mariners have been harvesting and consuming seaweed for decades. In Wales, their special cake is made from a type of seaweed called laver. This dish is so revered that it is protected of origin.

The use of seaweed does not stop at the table. Today, it is found in everything from cosmetics and animal feed to gardening products and packaging.

As concerns about the environment, food security, and climate change increase, seaweed, a succulent treasure that comes in all colors, shapes and especially is completely edible, will play an important role in the sustainable future of the earth. The UK recognizes its importance and is looking to act.

In April, a project called "the UK's first unique seaweed industrial facility" was officially launched. Experts hope to kickstart the commercialization of a popular but underinvested sector around the world.

The Seaweed Institute has received a grant of nearly $500,000 from the UK Government to start studies aimed at stimulating "the development of seaweed farming in the UK". The project will first focus on "high value markets" and use its research to enhance the global competitiveness of UK seaweed products.

However, contrary to popular belief, the seaweed industry will look "very different" from other agricultural industrialization. There will be no giant machines, diving into the sea to collect algae or support the farming process. Seen from the outside, it's just floats floating on the water, but below it are long ropes with giant clumps of seaweed. Harvesting will also be very "manual".

However, there are a series of other challenges, from applying for a permit to set up a farm to natural disasters, storms, and threats to the seaweed industry. It will take several years for research to find the optimal model to bring seaweed production to an industrial level.

Looking for the perfect model for the. seaweed industry

The UK's interest in seaweed farming and harvesting has not yet impacted traditional practices. In the picturesque county of Cornwall at the southwestern tip of England, the Cornish seaweed company is continuing what it has been doing since 2012 and providing a glimpse into how the industry is doing. may develop in the coming years.

Tim van Berkel, the company's co-founder and CEO, says they are harvesting wild seaweed from the shores for food. In 2017, the business also started growing seaweed from scorpions at a mussel farm off Porthallow, a fishing village in Cornish.

"They grow along ropes that are suspended in the water. Growing seaweed in this way is similar to raising mussels. The business currently grows 2 types of seaweed in this area. In addition, we harvest 6 types of seaweed. year-round natural seaweed from seas around the country," says Berkel.

There are also many other industries looking to make their mark in this area along the coasts of the UK. People also focus on cultivating seaweeds originating from the same seas to increase productivity.

In 2020, a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations described seaweed farming as dominated by "East and Southeast Asian countries". It's big business and generated $14.7 billion in 2019 by the value of seaweed alone.

The huge seaweed farms in China, Indonesia show that this industry has grown on a large scale. However, not only in Asia, in the US, huge farms have also sprouted up in many areas, from New England to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

However, economic value is not everything. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stress that "seaweed takes in CO2 and uses it to grow. It also absorbs nitrogen and phosphorus."

Worldwide, this industry has been growing rapidly over the past two decades. Global seaweed production increased from 10.6 million tons in 2000 to 32.4 million tons in 2018. However, there are also problems, such as the overgrowth of cultivated seaweeds and encroachment on the environment. surrounding or seaweed farms that have an impact on the environment.

However, compared to the benefits it brings, countries still invest heavily in development and are finding ways to plan to bring the greatest efficiency to have a sustainable development industry.