The Ministry of Fisheries has made significant strides in establishing an 80m x 100m seaweed farm at the Natila Seaweeds Farm in Tailevu, through its Central Seaweed Team. This initiative, executed in collaboration with the Natila Village, serves as a community-based project aimed at enhancing local marine agriculture.
The development of the farm occurred in two phases. The first phase, from December 10 to 13 of the previous year, focused on creating seaweed nursery plots. The planting of seaweed seedlings took place from January 13 to 21 of this month, following designated plans for the farm layout.
This new farm includes a dedicated 80m x 20m nursery plot with 58 lines of seaweed already established. Additionally, the overall farm consists of four plots, each measuring 80m x 20m. One of these plots has completed the construction of 360 lines, with 200 of those newly planted with seedlings by the Central Seaweed Team. The village community has received training in seaweed farming techniques and is geared up to complete the remaining 160 lines to hit the farming target.
As part of the Seaweed Farm Plan, the ministry’s team is committed to conducting monthly site visits to ensure the completion of the remaining plots and to establish essential infrastructure such as drying racks and a storage shed.
The progress thus far is indicative of key achievements, including the formulation of a comprehensive Seaweed Farm Plan Report and Standard Operating Procedures designed for seaweed farmers throughout the nation. The Ministry of Fisheries emphasizes that this initiative represents a crucial advancement towards commercial seaweed farming in Fiji. With efforts focused on reducing material costs and enhancing production efficiency, the goal is to eventually cultivate 4,000 lines per farm site, paving the way for large-scale, sustainable seaweed operations in the future.