Seaweed farming launched for fisherwomen at Bheemili

Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament Mathukumilli Sribharat launched a seaweed farming initiative for fisherwomen at Mangamaripeta coast in Bheemunipatnam (Bheemili) on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occassion, the MP said that seaweed farming is an ideal low-investment activity for coastal communities, as the cost of setting up a unit is ₹1,500, of which the Central government provides a subsidy of ₹900. It provides a steady income, due to its global demand in pharmaceuticals, food products, paints, and chemical industries, while reducing marine pollution and maintaining ecological balance. He urged fisherwomen to make optimal use of the scheme and shared that the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of India (ALEAP) through the scheme promotes women’s economic empowerment.

The project is initiated with the support of Life Charitable Trust, in collaboration with Civis Agritech Private Limited, under the supervision of the Fisheries Department, and is backed with technical assistance from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).

Life Charitable Trust CEO Sambasiva Rao shared that the trust provides skill development training to fisherwomen and guides them on how to scale up from small to large enterprises.

K. Prashanth Kumar, managing director of Civis Agritech Private Limited, said that their Hyderabad-based laboratory has been conducting research on seaweed-based products for the past three years, and emphasised that seaweed farming and value-added products have a strong domestic and international market potential.

CMFRI Scientist Shekhar Meghraj informed that the seaweed farming method developed by their team is fully suitable for Indian coastal conditions.