The Philippines is one of the major producers of seaweeds in the world. In 2019, the Philippines ranked 4th next to China, Indonesia, and South Korea in terms of contribution to world production. Seaweed is an important component of the Philippine aquaculture industry as it comprises nearly 70% of the total aquaculture production. Domestically, seaweed production is mainly centered in Mindanao which accounts for almost two-thirds of the total production of the country. Major production areas in the country include the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (MIMAROPA) and Zamboanga Peninsula.
In 2023, PIN launched two initiatives in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as part of the organization’s global efforts to improve the lives of people affected by famine, natural disasters, and conflict; namely – Leveraging and Expanding Agri-Aqua Production (LEAP) and Strengthening Capacities of Civil Society Organizations in Caraga and BARMM for Good Governance. PIN has partnered with esteemed local organizations to ensure effective implementation of all projects under these initiatives. The LEAP initiative, in particular, aims to support the economic development of communities in the BARMM by focusing on the seaweed and coffee value chains in the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. This will be achieved through concrete interventions to improve access to inputs, extension services, financial products, and processing facilities. The project also emphasizes coordination among different actors in the value chains, with particular focus on looking at the role and involvement of women, youth, and indigenous people in the seaweed value chain.
In order for PIN to accomplish their goals, Transforming Fragilities, Inc. (TFI) has been contracted as consultants to assess the seaweed value chains in the aforementioned island provinces. This plays well into TFI’s strengths as an organization that emphasizes quality data collection and analysis with clear understanding of local context. A highly-skilled team of experts has been dispatched into the island provinces by TFI to map out the distribution flow of seaweed within the local and regional context and explore opportunities in the domestic and even international markets, determine the availability of financial support systems for local and indigenous farmers, and also explore the possibilities of halal certification and use of newer technologies to improve seaweed production.
We at Transforming Fragilities, Inc. look forward that this research will lead to improving the lives of people living in marginalized communities in the BARMM island provinces. This study in particular strongly aligns with our mantra of accurate and reliable data collection, management, and analysis to bring about impactful and long-term social change.
