Locations

Description

The proposed project aims to establish a modern Seaweed Hatchery and Seedling Bank in Pemba to address the declining productivity and resilience of Zanzibar’s seaweed farming sector, which supports the livelihoods of more than 23,000 farmers, over 80% of whom are women. The sector is increasingly affected by climate change, disease outbreaks such as ice-ice disease and epiphyte infestations, and the continued recycling of existing seaweed planting materials, resulting in declining seed quality and productivity. The project will establish a centralized facility for the production, quarantine, conservation, and distribution of high-quality, disease-free, climate-resilient seaweed seedlings using advanced techniques including tissue culture, spore propagation, and selective breeding. The facility will include tissue culture laboratories, nursery and acclimatization units, seedling multiplication and holding areas, a Seaweed Seed Bank, research facilities, and training infrastructure. It will provide reliable access to improved seed stock for farmers across Unguja and Pemba, strengthen technical capacity, promote best farming practices, and support research, innovation, and conservation of improved seaweed strains. The project is expected to increase seaweed production and farmers’ incomes, improve livelihood stability and women’s economic empowerment, enhance the quality and competitiveness of Zanzibar’s seaweed products, increase export earnings and government revenue, and strengthen the sector’s resilience to climate change and disease. The hatchery will also be developed as a Centre of Excellence for Seaweed in the Western Indian Ocean, supporting knowledge exchange, research collaboration, training, and seed supply to other coastal countries facing similar challenges. The project is aligned with the Zanzibar Blue Economy Policy, Zanzibar Development Vision 2050, Zanzibar Aquaculture Development Strategy, Zanzibar Fisheries Policy, and ZADEP. Sustainability will be supported through a business model based on cost-recovering seedling sales, technical training and consultancy services, continued research partnerships, and strong biosecurity and quality-control systems. The project is proposed for implementation over two years by ZAFIRI in collaboration with external experts, with an estimated total cost of TZS 6 billion funded by the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.

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