Seaweed Ocean's zawadi for Zanzibaries

      Seaweed: Ocean's zawadi for zanzibaries

Poor people of the paradise, Zanzibaries are happy to have a Zawadi (gift) from Ocean: Seaweed. The farmer of Zanzibar is always express their gratitude towards the ocean for giving them the gift: Seaweed. Zanzibar is Indian spice island. Island is full with sparkling blue water, crystal shining beaches, but people are poor. 
Commercially viable seaweed was first introduced to Zanzibar's main island, Unguja, in the late 1980s from the Philippines. It immediately took to the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean island. It was a good news story, says Nariman Jidawi, a marine scientist from the island. Papers printed headlines like "Mwani is money", "A gift from the ocean" and "Mama, mwani and money". Seaweeds are a highly renewable food resource. They can be grown and harvested all year round, in any marine environment (for any temperature, depth of water or geographical location there is a species of seaweed that can grow there). Production is low impact - seaweeds need no chemicals, fertilizers or pesticides, they require no deforestation or freshwater to grow.

Seaweeds are macro algae that are essential to marine life for food and habitat, and they have been a key part of the human diet for thousands of years. The term ‘weed’ is a real misnomer for these marine plants. Irish ancestors relied on seaweed as part of their diet, handpicking it for their families from the edge of the shore. As far back as the 5th century, monastic writings tell of its importance in Irish cooking. The deeper the seaweed grows, the darker the colour of their leaves. There are three main types of seaweed, based on where we can find them on the shoreline.

• Green Seaweeds: Scientists claim that these are the real originators of our land based plants. This seaweed found on the upper shoreline and need the most sunlight and air. Sea lettuce is a commonly used green seaweed.
• Brown Seaweeds: It is found at middle and sub-tidal zones. Brown species tend to be bigger and grow in large dense forests. Kelp is a very well known brown seaweed and was responsible for the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda discovering the famous ‘fifth’ taste - umami.
• Red Seaweeds: The seaweeds which is found on the lower shore is red seaweeds. It has a characteristic red pigment that masks the green chlorophyll. Dulse is a delicious species of red seaweed that is harvested along the west coast.

 

            

Seaweed’s Importance 

1. For Health
2. For Environment
3. For Cooking
4. For Daily Purposes
5. For Medicines

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There are hundreds of different species, more even than the great variety of land vegetables that we are accustomed to. And each seaweed has its own unique properties, nutrient benefits and flavours. It transformed the lives of the women in Zanzibar. They were able to support their families. According to the government, the sector used to employ 23,000 people - 90% of whom were women.Seaweed farmed on the Tanzanian archipelago is one of Zanzibar's key exports - used for food, cosmetics and medicines in Asia, Europe and North America.

Zanzibar has been historically the third largest exporter of seaweed in the world, after the Philippines and Indonesia.Zanzibar's President Ali Mohamed Shein mentioned issue about Zanzibar's seaweed in his inaugural speech to parliament.

Improving seaweed productionwas

among his priorities, promising to improve equipment for farmers and to work to boost the market. Hashim Moumin, he said, head of aquaculture at the ministry of livestock and fisheries, said they were promoting seaweed processing light industries as as alternative to relying on exports of raw material. "We invite investors to establish industries that will use seaweed as material," Moumin said. One company that is already following this value-added model is the Seaweed Center in Paje, a small village on the southeastern coast of Unguja.

Their main focus is making valuable skin care products from seaweed. The Seaweed Center opened in 2011 with funding from a wealthy and passionate Swedish family through their philanthropic organisation called the Rylander Foundation. The Rylanders, a well to do family, invest into such projects. They recognized the value of seaweed farming and wanted to create an avenue that would provide sustainable livelihoods for local women. Zanzibar's position as the world's third-biggest producer of spinosum seaweed.

Seaweed Center transform seaweed into

• Body Oils
• Body Scrubs
• Sweet-Tasting Smoothie
• Soaps
• Handicrafts
• Delicious Cakes