Mindanao folk benefit from seaweed project

"Lumads" (indigenous people) and Muslims in northern Mindanao are now benefitting from a project on seaweed farming being undertaken in their areas.

The project is titled "Management of Natural Stocks and the Development of Farming and Processing Technologies of Gracilaria for the Socioeconomic Upliftment of the Coastal Communities in Northern Mindanao".

It was initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) under the Program for Mindanao S&S through its Los Baños-based agency, the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD).

The project is being implemented by the Mindanao Lumad and Muslim Development Center (MILAMDEC) Foundation in cooperation with the Agrophyta Philippines, Inc. (API), a pioneering seaweed processor in Mindanao. Both MILAMDEC and API are based in Cagayan de Oro City.

For a start, MILAMDEC conducted a series of training courses on farming and postharvest management of Gracilaria seaweed. The women-trainees who were previously engaged in small-scale enterprise ventured into "gulaman" and "sago" refreshment stores after the training.

Moreover, community organizing activities were strengthened to enhance the skills and capacity of the fishers and rural women in managing and sustaining the project.

At present, the associations are API’s regular suppliers.

The API, on the other hand, has maintained regular buyers of its seaweed products in supermarkets and laboratories in Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Iligan City, and some parts of the Visayas. It has become visible in the international markets through linkage, research, and promotions in Japan and the United States.

The company has produced seaweed-based products sold to laboratories and firms in the region.

MILAMDEC has likewise produced manuals on Gracilaria farming, agar processing, and food application distributed to local seaweed farmers, agar consumers, local government units, and government agencies.