Seaweed:
Seaweed farming is gaining global recognition as a sustainable and profitable industry.
- The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) aims to boost India’s seaweed production to 1.12 million tonnes over five years.
- The $5.6 billion global seaweed industry is expanding rapidly, with India’s contribution increasing steadily.
- Seaweed is a marine plant that grows in oceans and seas.
- It is nutrient-dense, containing 54 trace elements, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
- It helps combat cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and high blood pressure while also boosting immunity.
- Unlike traditional crops, seaweed does not require land, freshwater, fertilizers, or pesticides, making it an eco-friendly and sustainable agricultural resource.
- Microscopic seaweeds, such as phytoplankton, form the foundation of marine food chains and play a key role in oceanic primary productivity.
- Large seaweeds, like giant kelp, create dense underwater forests that serve as biodiversity hotspots, offering shelter and food to a variety of species.
- Seaweeds contribute to oxygen generation and carbon sequestration, playing a significant role in climate regulation.
