In one harvest, a dedicated farmer can produce a tonne of dried seaweed, which fetches Sh30,000. Extracts from the dried weed are used as homogenisers and thickeners in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Ms Fatuma Mohammed, chairperson of the Kibuyuni farmer’s group, which was founded in 2010, says all they need is the ocean. Their efforts, she added, have already been rewarded as one kilo of dried seaweed fetches a market price of Sh30. Although the group has been economically empowered, Ms Mohammed says there are challenges with marketing their products.

Source: Daily Nation June 12, 2017 11:03 UTC