Issue 3 - Piloting Ropes for Seaweed Farming

Biodegradable ropes for seaweed farming

KMFRI, KIBUYUNI (KENYA)

Seaweed farming is a sustainable and environmentally friendly industry that has gained popularity in recent years. The expansion of seaweed farms has the potential to boost local incomes, food security, and environmental health. However, the plastic ropes that are used in seaweed farming can have devastating impacts on the marine environment. To mitigate these impacts, Catchgreen, in partnership with the Kenyan Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) and the Kibuyuni seaweed farmers, is piloting Biodolomer®Ocean ropes. These biodegradable ropes are designed to reduce toxic plastic accumulation in the ocean. It takes approximately 2 years for Biodolomer®Ocean to break down into biomass, water, and carbon dioxides.

Women-led seaweed farming

FOR HUMANS AND ECOSYSTEMS

Seaweed farming in Kibuyuni village presents an opportunity for women’s participation in the Blue Economy. It enables women to improve their livelihoods while it also benefits the environment. Mama Fatma is a pioneer seaweed farmer and tells the story of how, thanks to seaweed, the women have sent their children to school, renovated their homes, and how it has contributed to the health of local ecosystems. “The ocean is our life. By planting seaweed, we help to clean up the ocean. The seaweed attracts fish. It brings us food on the table and sends our children to school, we even have electricity here now.” With the support of KMFRI scientists, the women have been taught how to plant, harvest, and process seaweed for the export market. Some of your village youths have been encouraged to add value to the seaweed by making various cosmetic products.

The women in Kibuyuni village are now participating in the piloting of the Biodolomer®Ocean ropes. The women have planted seaweed with the biodegradable ropes side by side with normal plastic ropes and will take bi-weekly measurements to compare the growth rate and dry biomass of the two ropes. The ropes will be tested regularly for strength and biodegradability. Once the biodegradable ropes start breaking, they will be subjected to composition under normal decomposition conditions to simulate the decomposition of recovered ropes. Bringing seaweed farming and scientific research to the village is capacitating women to take ownership of the marine environment on which they depend for their livelihoods.

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Issue 4 - Piloting Ropes for Coral Restoration

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Issue 2-Piloting Gillnets