Women seaweed farmers help in saving sea

(MENAFN) In Paje, a coastal village in southeastern Zanzibar, 38-year-old Asha Musa stood submerged to her waist in the briny water. With a nylon rope slung across her shoulder and a look of focus, she methodically secured red seaweed strands along the line. Her movements were practiced and deliberate, carefully feeling the seabed beneath her while her hands worked with precision.

Musa wasn’t just farming the ocean; she was laying the foundation for a new role for women traditionally excluded from the core of the fishing industry.

“The sea raised me,” she said, her eyes locked on the distant blue water. “And now, I must protect it.”

She leads Umoja wa Wanawake wa Mwani Zanzibar, a cooperative of close to 50 female seaweed cultivators. This collective not only provides economic opportunity but is also contributing to environmental preservation efforts.

Previously, many of these women were only involved in peripheral tasks—like drying fish or sorting the catch under the intense heat. But today, they are central figures in the movement for ocean conservation.

“At first, they said this was not work for women,” she recalled, hoisting a bucket filled with seaweed. “But we didn’t listen. Now, the government listens to us.”

The cooperative began in 2017 with Musa and 11 other women, united by shared struggles and a few used ropes. Since then, their seaweed farms have expanded, forming a vast network of cultivation lines in the shallow sea. They now make use of solar dryers, trial hardier seaweed types that can endure higher temperatures, and organize educational sessions on eco-friendly farming techniques.

“Climate change nearly destroyed our work,” she explained. “Rising temperatures were bleaching the seaweed. But with training from marine scientists and the support of TAWFA, we’ve adapted.”

The Tanzania Women Fish Workers Association (TAWFA) has played a major role in supporting women like Musa. Established in 2019, the group now operates across Tanzania’s main water regions and has become a strong voice for women working in fishing, processing, and trade. Backed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, TAWFA is helping to reshape both local livelihoods and broader policy frameworks.

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