“The anti-poaching officers don’t understand. It is also used in ice cream mixes, pickles, as a clarifying agent in beverages, and even in jellies. After completing his MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute in erstwhile Bombay, he worked with Hindustan Unilever for almost eight years. Apart from producing carrageenan, which is a binding, food thickening and gelling agent, sold to the food industry, Seth uses the seaweed to produce … the fishers to take up seaweed farming on contract basis through Self Help Groups (SHGs). seaweed species which are largely being cultivated by the community in the coast of Malaysia. And so, in 2008, when he decided to leave the company, he asked PepsiCo if it would still run the project. So we worked with scientific experts to analyse the properties of these effluents. Department of Biotechnology 1, Shanmuga Industries Arts and Science College, Tiruvannamalai - 606601, Tamil Nadu, India. Once seaweed grows on them, in about 45 days or so, they are harvested, and the raft is replanted. The shallow bay with a 365-km coastline is known for its coral reefs and is home to endangered species such as dugongs, a marine mammal related to the manatee. Business listings of Seaweed Extract Fertilizers, Seaweed Powder manufacturers, suppliers and exporters in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu along with their contact details & address. He signs off, “Land and water are both scarce resources. Join our community of positive ambassadors. Mookupori, 56, is one of nearly 2,000 women in Tamil Nadu state who dive to collect seaweed used in making agar, a gelatinous substance that becomes a thickener in food and medicines. By using the power of constructive journalism, we want to change India – one story at a time. Tamil Nadu’s seaweed harvesters in rough seas They’ve got to be at work by 5 a.m. and need to complete all their household tasks before that. But when we stop diving, there will be no one else.”. Seth moved on to start AquAgri, one of the first companies in the country to get into commercial seaweed cultivation. We provide them with supplementary inputs, loans, and grants when required. “But if we don’t camp on the island, we are unable to collect enough seaweed to sell,” she said, rolling up her sari and slipping into leggings and socks held up by rubber bands. “We feel the changes. Wanyoni in 2017 1 with seaweed from the Yasawa Islands, Fiji; Rajasculochana 2,3 from Tamil Nadu in India in 2010 and 2013 has differing levels in different papers. Scientists say they are caused by climate change. Manufacturer of Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer offered by Agrocart, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. If you read us, like us and want this positive news movement to grow, then do consider supporting us via the following buttons: Our teams put in a lot of effort to create the content you love at The Better India. The multinational giant told him that they would eventually shut the project or sell it to someone who could take it forward. Seaweed cultivation in Tamil nadu (Ramnad/Pudukkottai,Thanjavur and Tuticorin districts) ... (Seaweed) பயன்கள் | Sea algae |Sea weed fertilizer | - … But instead of water, it is agriculture in the sea. Find here Seaweed Extract Fertilizers, Seaweed Powder, Seaweed Fertiliser suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, traders with Seaweed Extract … Seaweed were mainly found along the coastal waters of … Later in the year 2008, Aquagri took over the PepsiCo project. Tamil Nadu –Land of rich biodiversity Tamil Nadu Bio-diversity Rules 2017 . What we see down there is precious and we know it.”. For each five kg of wet seaweed she collects, Raniamma earns Rs 75. If it gets the required support and becomes a mainstream activity, it can have a positive social impact.”. However, with few other options to earn a living, the gulf’s seaweed collectors have continued to illegally ply their trade. Chennai Water Crisis: 71-YO ‘Rain Man’ Helps Hundreds Recharge Their Groundwater! We are also travelling farther from the coast then we did earlier,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. In these villages there are around 8000 seaweed culture rafts floated in the Palk Bay region. We at The Better India want to showcase everything that is working in this country. They receive support from the fisheries department and other institutions. The fisherfolk take four bamboo logs and tie them to make a frame or a raft, using strings and small pieces of seaweed. Today, Seth’s company works with more than 600 fisherfolk in the restricted districts of Tamil Nadu and cultivates at least 600-800 tonnes of seaweed per year. But with every passing year, yields are falling and fines for wild harvesting increasing, they said, making their work an unattractive job option for their children. It involves the building of bamboo rafts and spreading them out in the sea. For a benign activity like this, the environment ministry has a different point of view. After conducting trials on the bio-stimulants, we started delivering the product under Tata Chemical products. “We only take what we need from the sea, which is seaweed,” Raniamma said. Seaweed harvesting, a traditional occupation for many in Tamil Nadu, sustains a Rs 28,445 crore global market, as per 2017 estimates. Send E-mail. The number of days we harvest the seaweed has also reduced. Under a United Nations Development Programme initiative, for instance, eco-development committees have been set-up in fishing villages, with women educated on conservation and given training for alternative careers to reduce their dependence on the sea. Call 08048764917 51% Response Rate. Mookupori, 56, is one of nearly 2,000 women in Tamil Nadu state who dive to collect seaweed used in making agar, a gelatinous substance that becomes a thickener in food and medicines. In the advent of a crop undergoing stress, through a delayed monsoon, for instance, the chances of survival or revival using biostimulants are much higher. The women of Bharathinagar in Ramanathapuram district, who have waded into the waters of India’s South East coast for decades, possess a wealth of knowledge about the gulf waters. During my stint there, I worked in several roles that included corporate affairs, relations, and sustainability. When paired with organic farming, they can improve the yield by 15-20 per cent. Now 60-year-old Mariamma Masanam, her fingers gnarled after years of harvests, can see conditions shifting. “I started accompanying my mother and grandmother to sea when I was eight or 10,” she said, as she helped load cans of drinking water onto the boat. For now, to deal with the changing conditions and protect their seaweed beds, the women have cut the numbers of days they harvest and discarded the metal scrapers they once used, now gathering the seaweed with their hands instead. They can help farmers reduce the use of chemical fertilisers by 25-30 per cent. In 1986, the region was declared a national biodiversity park under India’s Wildlife Protection Act and collecting natural resource there was prohibited. Then, IFFCo decided to collaborate with us and launched our products under a brand called Sagarika. 7. At this point, Abhiram and his team decided to reverse the process. She and her fellow harvesters are Muthuraiyars, categorised in Tamil Nadu as a Most Backward Community (MBC). Its main application is in dairy and meat products, due to its strong binding to food proteins. Seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) production in Tamil Nadu (2003-2010) their livelihood. This IIT-Delhi Startup’s Innovation Tackles Air Pollution for Just Rs 10! When Tata decided to exit the fertiliser business, we were in shock, because they were our customers and they were going out of business. Seaweed can be grown in different ways, but the most common technique in India is using the Single Rope Floating Raft (SRFR) method (Coir Rope & Nylon Rope). A Tamil Nadu government report noted at the time that the major environmental threat to the gulf region was quarrying of coral for production of calcium carbide and lime. We are building it, and it is rapidly growing.”. Raised in Delhi, Seth completed his graduation with a degree in Economics from Hindu College. Mookupori grew up watching her mother leave home before dawn, board a boat and go to work harvesting in the Gulf of Mannar. Being caught there can carry a fine. Moreover, seaweed farming was adopted for the first time in this district. As someone who had driven the project for a long time, when the company said that they would shut the programme, I decided to buy it from them.”. But the sea is abundant. Rich seaweed beds around Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Goa, Karwar, Varkala, Vizhinjam and Pulicat in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh; and Chilika in Odisha, provides a huge scope for the seaweed cultivation in India. Mookupori and Raniamma, however, consider themselves likely to be the last generation of seaweed harvesters along this cost. “The national park excluded them from that space, making it challenging for the women to earn a livelihood, instead of giving them rights to the sea and including them in the conservation programme.”. It would not only prove that seaweed could be cultivated and processed into products, but also become a sustainable source of income for coastal communities in Tamil Nadu. But the process of seaweed cultivation for the grower is, without a doubt, profitable. “A fixed price prevents any market risks for the grower. SEAWEED RESEARCH IN INDIA - A NOVEL DOMAIN IN MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY. They were reported all along the Indian coastal state waters in variable amount. “I started as a director of exports and agriculture at PepsiCo. Click here if you want to make a contribution of your choice instead. Tamil Nadu’s seaweed harvesters in rough seas. The Better India caught up with the man to document his journey. Apart from producing carrageenan, which is a binding, food thickening and gelling agent, sold to the food industry, Seth uses the seaweed to produce biostimulants. Tamil Nadu’s Seaweed Harvesters in Rough Seas. The sea has changed and we also had to.”. None of them harvest between April and June, the main breeding season for fish. Disease Diseases are generally caused by low salinity, high temperature, and light intensity. Seaweed farming in Tamil Nadu In Tamil Nadu, cultivation of this seaweed started at Mandapam on the south-east coast of India, during 1995–1997. “With just three hours of work a day, a coastal farmer can earn Rs 700-800 a day with a 3×3 m raft. a seaweed from Japan being cultivated in Tamil Nadu is being promoted as the source of the best salt for blood pressure patients. When the rafts are ready, they are floated on the sea. If this story inspired you, get in touch with Abhiram Seth at abhiram.seth@aquagri.in or visit their website here. Seth claims that productivity can be much higher when used alongside fertilisers. Rising sea levels, hotter temperatures and stronger currents along this coast, considered one of the best for commercial seaweed cultivation, are some of the changes Mookupori is seeing. of seaweeds in the southern coast of Tamil Nadu. Raniamma, 50, one of the harvesters who works with Mookupori, said she always keeps an eye out for anti-poaching officials when she and other seaweed harvesters sail to the islands for a harvest. It would help us if you can follow our Instagram handle and spread the word around. Ramanathapuram district wildlife warden AS Marimuthu has also seen the changes, and said he was looking for ways to collaborate with the women. I think it is a viable model that does not displace the coastal communities from their natural habitat. The resulting nutrients, referred to as ‘biostimulants’, are organic, and useful for agricultural activities, claims Seth. for industrial utilization in the Tamil Nadu region from 1978-2003. Once the seaweed is dried and cleaned, it is sold by traders for Rs 400 rupees per five kg to domestic industry buyers. In 2000, we started a social initiative of seaweed cultivation in coastal Tamil Nadu. … “It was like they were declared thieves in their own backyard,” said Venugopal, the programme head for the non-profit International Collective in Support of Fishworkers Trust. The contract farming method with PepsiCo was successfully implemented in March 2003. “In fact, sometimes we take them to the islands just for a picnic and show them a little of what we do. It could be observed that the above reviewed works have not been concentrated on problems and prospects of seaweed culture in the costal area of Tamil Nadu and it is the research gap. In Tuticorin coast is reported with total 86 seaweeds including 32 … In this paper, an assessment of the socio-economic status of seaweed farmers in Ramnathapuram District of Tamil Nadu has been made, which is the pioneering district in India in seaweed farming. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve established in 1986 is a marine ecosystem with seaweed seagrass communities, coral reefs, salt marshes, and mangrove forests. K. Jayaprakash 1, N. Sri Kumaran * 2 and Swarnakala 2. Agrocart. But creation of the marine park meant restrictions on accessing the bay’s 21 uninhabited islands to fish – or to collect seaweed – for 125 local villages. Still, “there are more than 600 women who have shifted to cultivating seaweed and that has helped the ecosystem tremendously,” said Eswaran. The project helps more than 600 fisherfolks/seaweed farmers earn a sustained income on a contract arrangement with a fixed price. All of the six women on the boat with Mookupori are over 50, with deeply tanned skin, greying hair and wrinkled faces. In additional to wild harvesting, the women now grow seaweed on bamboo rafts, as part of an effort promoted by the Tamil Nadu government. But their conditions are so dire that they can … porkala nagar, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. When seaweed farming was unheard of in India, Abhiram Sethi was driving a project for PepsiCo. Seth answers, “As a company which produces biostimulants or carrageenan, the competition is huge because we need to build our own market. But their biggest push to protect the ecosystem and their livelihoods has been to begin cultivating – as well as harvesting – seaweed. 80 Chennai Families Create Sustainable Street, Win Green Award by TN Govt! Now the quantity has reduced. We would bring back bags full. This article first appeared on Thomson Reuters Foundation News. “Shallow coastal waters featuring reefs, such as the ones found in south-east Tamil Nadu, are considered ideal for seaweed farming. “With the rise in sea temperature and salinity, seaweed growth has declined in the last decade,” said K Eswaran, a scientist who heads the field research unit of the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute in Ramanathapuram district. But climate change and overexploitation of marine resources are eroding their livelihoods He was working as a Director in-charge of exports in agriculture. seaweed species of which 18 Chlorophyta, 14 Ochrophyta and 25 Rho-dophyta have been recorded during June 2009 to June 2010 from four southern districts (Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Ram-anathapuram) of Tamilnadu (Sahayara et al., 2014). But set-up costs are significant and harvests unpredictable, the women say. Anything new is looked at sceptically. The potential of coastal waters in Kerala needs to be studied. Any story about seaweed farming in India begins and ends in Mandapam, Tamil Nadu.The narrative is invariably the same: the immense potential offered by long coastline and biodiversity and how 900 fish Besides her clothes, toothbrush and soap, she included her diving gear – a worn-out pair of black socks, a locally-made pair of goggles, cheap plastic slippers, cloth gloves, a round metallic plate with straps – and pain killers. In 1994, he joined PepsiCo and worked with the giant for 14 years, until he bought the seaweed business from them in 2008. Readers only offer: Get additional Rs 200 off on 'The Better Home' powerful natural cleaners. Scientists at the Central Salt and Marine Research Institute at Bhavnagar, Gujarat, have found a process of extracting potassium chloride as a by-product of Kappaphycus alvarezii, the red-coloured seaweed… “Those days, the seaweed collection was huge. “They have never been a big problem for us but we hope they will play a bigger role in managing the marine reserve with us.”. 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Simply put, it is the process of growing and cultivating seaweed. The commute to their vast, wet workplace is a short walk. Palsamy, president of the Ramanathapuram Fish Workers’ Union, estimates there are no more than 600 women seaweed harvesters across Tamil Nadu’s 940-kilometre coastline. Seth suggests that there must be a space between the rafts to prevent overcrowding. The Better Home is a range of safe and eco-friendly home cleaners by The Better India. You May Also Like: This IIT-Delhi Startup’s Innovation Tackles Air Pollution for Just Rs 10! The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve located in the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills comprises part of adjoining states of Kerala and Karnataka. “Our children would never do this,” Mookupori said. Buying out the business along with the entire team, Seth moved on to start AquAgri, one of the first companies in the country to get into commercial seaweed cultivation. Extracted from red edible seaweed, carrageenan is widely used in the food industry for its gelling, thickening, and stabilising properties. We were amazed when we found that the effluents were nutrients that could be used for farming.”. Among all these Indian coastal states Tamil nadu and Gujarat states contributes more seaweed resource. By: reporter August 28, 2020 12:25 pm. Find here Seaweed Extract Fertilizers, Seaweed Powder, Seaweed Fertiliser suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, traders with Seaweed Extract … They are entrepreneurs who work as per their flexibility and deliver products for a fixed price. In order to fulfill the gap, the presnts study … … The waters are rougher and we have to spend longer hours underwater to fill our bags. Seaweed is used in the food and cosmetics industries. It’s hard and risky work to pluck seaweed that grows on underwater rocks and dead coral reef adjoining the islands in the Gulf of Mannar. When they first started, Abhiram’s team processed the cultivated seaweed to obtain a hydrocolloid, carrageenan. Department of Marine Biotechnology 2, AMET University, Kanathur, Chennai - 603112, Tamil Nadu… The plant species which were found along the sea – shore was called as “seaweed”. Fig. Today, Seth’s company works with more than 600 fisherfolk in the restricted districts of Tamil Nadu and cultivates at least 600-800 tonnes of seaweed per year. Scientists find seaweed off Tamil Nadu coast has unique scent Gutka in Tamil Nadu assembly: Madras HC restarts hearing on notices to DMK MLAs Neeti Mohan-Rahul Dua go #FullOn with Galaxy F41. Its wasn’t long before one of its managers, Abhiram Seth, decided to branch out on his own and set up AquaAgri Processing, by buying out PepsiCo India Holding’s seaweed business in Tamil Nadu. Seth explains, “The process of seaweed cultivation is eco-friendly, without the use of chemicals or inorganic inputs.”. So the cultivation is restricted to certain districts in Tamil Nadu.”. We live off the sea and we are also its guardians. This ensures that they are not forced to migrate to cities for employment, as they can earn a comfortable livelihood in their current situation.”, Is seaweed cultivation profitable? But climate change and overexploitation of marine resources are eroding their livelihoods. To counter charges of over-harvesting, they ply their trade only about 12 days a month and ensure they rotate between islands. Materials and methods The study with an expost-facto research design was undertaken in Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu coast where farming and wild collection of seaweed is adopted in large scale. When the plant is under stress whitening of the … “When we were exploring the processing, we realised it would give rise to a lot of effluents and treating them would cost more than the processing. “Women who harvest seaweed have definitely been impacted, with their incomes coming down by at least 20%.”. He claims that these can improve crop yield by 20 per cent. We put out curated content on our Instagram account- green living hacks, green innovations, leading a no-tox life and heroes in the sustainability space. If the government supports the cultivation in the gulf areas, it can become a big deal for agriculture.”. An unusual activity of the fisherwomen of Bharathinagar in Tamil Nadu keeps them more in the water than on boats. GST No. Find Seaweed manufacturers, Seaweed suppliers, exporters, wholesalers and distributors in Tamil nadu India - List of Seaweed selling companies from Tamil nadu with catalogs, phone numbers, addresses & prices for Seaweed. The response was good but short-lived. Get latest & updated seaweed extract prices in Chennai for your buying requirement. Instead of producing carrageenan at the front-end, they extracted the nutrients before producing the hydrocolloids. Business listings of Seaweed Extract Fertilizers, Seaweed Powder manufacturers, suppliers and exporters in Chennai, Tamil Nadu along with their contact details & address. In a blue plastic barrel, Meenakshi Mookupori packed her belongings for a five-day stay on an island in the Indian Ocean, off the Coromandal coast of South India, in March. 33ARJPP8821G1ZM. It lies between 8° 05' and 13° 34' North latitudes and 76° 14' and 80° 21' East longitudes. Mookupori, 56, is one of nearly 2,000 women in Tamil Nadu state who dive to collect seaweed used in making agar, a gelatinous substance that becomes a thickener in food and medicines. “When the initial journey of selling these biostimulants began, we realised that selling any agricultural product directly to the farmer was a big challenge because it was difficult to reach them. Find the top seaweed extract dealers, traders, distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers & suppliers in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The women talk about the harsh conditions of the sea, the rising tides and the great physical strength required to hold one’s breath and go down to the depths. The task of tying the seaweed can also be done by women, making the process gender-neutral. Seaweed cultivation will go a long way in supporting lives of coastal fisher-families, especially fisher … Keyimu Abdullah 2016 4 used Malaysian seaweed from Langkawi and Sabah; Seasonal variations in nutrients were identified by Kumar 5 who … The best part about the project is not the production of carrageenans or biostimulants, but the ecosystem it creates for the coastal community. Seaweed cultivation is a form of aquaculture. A. Palsamy, president of the Ramanathapuram Fish Workers’ Union, estimates there are no more than 600 women seaweed harvesters across Tamil Nadu’s 940-kilometre coastline. They are joint venture partners at AquAgri. Tamil Nadu, the southernmost State of the Indian peninsula is spread over 1,30,058 sq.km land mass and accounts for about 4 % of the total area of the country. Profile. Growing seaweed also has helped the women get a harvest in summer months when wild harvesting is harder as higher temperatures and disease outbreaks cut seaweed growth, he said. Manufacturer of Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer offered by Agrocart, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately, even though the government is keen to make seaweed cultivation as a mainstream activity for coastal communities, there are a few impediments. An unusual activity of the fisherwomen of Bharathinagar in Tamil Nadu keeps them more in the water than on boats. There are around 300 women, aged between 20–70 years from Chinnapalam in Tamil Nadu, who depend on plucking seaweed for their daily income.