An Ocean of Opportunities: the Potential of Seaweed to Advance Food, Environmental and Gender Dimensions of the SDGs

Seaweed emerges as a vital force linking economic growth, climate action, and women's empowerment. The study examines how its diverse applications—from food to biofuels—boost coastal incomes, protect marine biodiversity, and advance nutrition and environmental goals while uplifting communities and Indigenous Peoples alike.

This study aims to enhance our comprehension of the seaweed sector as a tripartite vector for economic growth, environmental sustainability, and women''s economic empowerment. It builds upon the outcomes of the 4th United Nations Oceans Forum (UNOF), the 2023 Trade and Environment Review (TER), and expert interviews to present the interlinkages of the seaweed sector with food and nutrition, environmental and climate goals. The study adopts a gender lens, paying attention to women''s participation throughout the seaweed value chain. Seaweed''s growing popularity offers potential to increase economic income, food security, preserve marine biodiversity, and empower women along the value chains. Seaweed farming and processing demonstrate how development, climate, and nature can work together to generate value that uplifts coastal communities, including women and Indigenous Peoples. Seaweed has multiple uses including for food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, aquatic animal, or livestock feed, biofertilizer, textiles, and biofuels. It can also be used for producing fully biodegradable and compostable biomass for non-plastics substitute and plastic alternatives.