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To address the challenges posed by environmental degradation in the land-based economy, Bangladesh is actively exploring innovative solutions to strengthen its blue economy. Seaweed farming emerges as a promising opportunity. Looking at the global landscape, it has the potential to not only boost economic growth but also play a vital role in environmental preservation. With its ability to absorb carbon, restore marine ecosystems, diversify the export basket with a wide range of products, and create new income sources for coastal communities, seaweed farming can become a high-impact solution for resilience and sustainability.
Seaweed is a highly versatile marine plant that grows in oceans, rivers, lakes, and artificial water bodies. Primarily consumed as food in East and Southeast Asia—countries like Indonesia, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Seaweed has a long history of use in both food and non-food products. Ancient civilizations used it for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Today, seaweed as an ingredient is found in fertilizers, hydrocolloids like alginate, agar, and carrageenan, immune-boosting and dietary supplements, and anti-obesity formulations, spanning agriculture, food processing, nutraceuticals, and other industries. Seaweeds are broadly classified into three main groups—brown (Phaeophyceae), red (Rhodophyceae), and green (Chlorophyceae)—each with unique characteristics and uses.
Seaweed farming is one of the fastest-growing aquaculture sectors globally, with a market size of approximately $17 billion in 2023, projected to reach $29 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by rising demand across food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and biofuels. Traditionally, seaweed has been widely used in hydrocolloids (agar, carrageenan, alginate), food, and aquaculture feed. However, seaweed shows significant potential for expansion into emerging sectors, with both short- and long-term prospects. In the short term, the most promising markets include biostimulants, animal feed, pet foods, and methane-reducing additives, driven by their low processing complexity, scalability, and potential to enhance animal productivity. In the medium term, sectors such as nutraceuticals, alternative proteins, bioplastics, and fabrics offer strong growth opportunities, though scaling these markets will require improvements in cost-efficiency and seaweed availability. More niche sectors, like pharmaceuticals and construction, present long-term growth potential, offering high-value opportunities as demand for sustainable solutions increases.
Figure: Estimated seaweed market potential in the long, medium, and short term by 2030 ($millions)
Globally, seaweed availability is increasingly constrained by pricing challenges and regulatory barriers, with top-producing countries struggling to meet these emerging sector demands. However, seaweed farming offers significant potential for climate action and environmental benefits, making its role in driving growth in both established and new markets pertinent as demand for eco-friendly, ‘green’ products surges.
Seaweed farming offers a unique opportunity for Bangladesh to strengthen its Blue Economy and embrace circularity, with its 710 km coastline and 25,000 km² coastal area, providing both economic benefits and environmental sustainability.
With nearly 200 species of seaweed, 19 of which are commercially valuable, Bangladesh currently produces about 97.5 tons of dry weight seaweed annually, mainly consisting of Hypnea, Gracilaria, and Ulva (Hossain et al., 2021).
Species like Gracilaria are ideal for industrial-scale agar and alginate production, which offers opportunities to integrate into the global value chain. Additionally, seaweed’s commercial potential extends to its use in edible products, medicinal and pharmaceutical applications, the nutraceutical industry, and agriculture. Nutraceuticals are food-based dietary supplements that may contain essential vitamins and trace elements but are not classified as drugs, falling under a separate regulatory category. Coined in 1989 by Stephen De Felice, the term lacks a single, widely accepted definition. These supplements typically support specific health areas like cardiovascular health, brain function, or immunity.
Figure: Potential Seaweed-Based Products That Bangladesh Can Explore
The production and use of seaweed and seaweed-based products align with circular economy principles, minimizing waste and promoting sustainable resource use. With no need for extensive processes or fertilizers, seaweed grows quickly, can regenerate, and can be sustainably harvested or cultivated in controlled aquaculture systems.
Seaweed farming holds immense economic potential for Bangladesh, as it can offer innovative solutions to job creation, export diversification, and poverty reduction in coastal communities. As a versatile raw material, seaweed can fuel industries ranging from food, livestock feed, and pharmaceuticals to bio stimulants and biofuels, creating new income streams for coastal populations. With the right investments, Bangladesh can transform seaweed farming into a thriving industry, positioning it as a high-value addition to its limited export basket.
Bangladesh has a competitive edge in seaweed cultivation for a few particular species, thanks to its strategic location, favorable climate conditions, and proximity to major producing and consuming markets. While China, Indonesia, and the Philippines offer regional trade opportunities, the EU and US present strong export potential, particularly for high-value seaweed-based products. However, scaling up production requires investment in modern processing, research and development (R&D), and policy support to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and build a robust value chain.
As Bangladesh looks beyond its traditional RMG and land-based industries, the Blue Economy is poised to play a dominant role. Although still in its early stages, this approach prioritizes economic growth without environmental degradation, aligning with global trends toward sustainability, innovation, and social inclusion (UNCTAD, 2014).
Figure: An Indicative List of Sectors and Activities Under the Blue Economy; Source: (Compiled from MOFL, Morrissey et al. (2010), EIU (2015a), Govt. of Ireland (2012) and Marine Institute)
Within the Blue Economy, marine biotechnology—particularly seaweed farming—offers a transformative opportunity. By strengthening the seaweed value chain, Bangladesh can enhance coastal livelihoods, promote income diversification, and contribute to UN SDG goals by supporting marine biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and women’s employment.
Seaweed is far more than just a marine resource; as a renewable resource, seaweed can be regenerated year after year, preserving the health of our oceans. In the marine ecosystem, it provides a primary food source and natural habitats for countless marine organisms, helping to maintain biodiversity.
Seaweed isn’t just a food source and habitat for the ocean’s creatures—it can be transformed into a food source for humans, animal feed, and even bioenergy. Its versatility is remarkable, and it grows in a variety of environments, from rocks and soft sediments to even other marine algae. This means seaweed cultivation is not only more sustainable but also much less harmful to the environment compared to traditional farming methods.
Food security is another critical benefit of seaweed farming. As the world races to meet the growing demand for food, projected to increase by 50–70% by 2050, seaweed’s nutrient-rich composition makes it a highly effective solution. Not only does it provide vital nutrients for humans, but it also offers a solution for animal feed—helping improve food production at a time when our resources are stretched thin.
As a photosynthetic plant, seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequesters it in aquatic environments. This natural carbon sink has the potential to offset significant amounts of CO₂, providing vital relief in the fight against global warming. Globally, seaweed farming is being explored as a nature-based solution for generating carbon credits; however, the actual potential for earning these credits depends on factors such as farming practices, biomass management, and the development of robust monitoring methods to ensure long-term, effective sequestration. Additionally, marine ecosystems—particularly seaweed forests—generate roughly 70–80% of Earth’s oxygen, playing a crucial role in climate regulation.
Cultivating seaweed is not just about harvesting a crop; it’s about sustaining an ecosystem and supporting a circular economy. Seaweed can be cultivated in various ways, from land-based farms to sea-based aquaculture, or even through wild harvesting from the ocean itself. Its low environmental impact makes it an ideal resource to nurture, while its wide range of uses ensures that it can benefit both the environment and local economies. When we think about climate change, we often focus on what’s at risk, but with seaweed farming, there’s a chance to change that narrative. We have the opportunity to harness the natural power of the ocean’s resources for a greener, more sustainable future—one that balances economic needs with environmental preservation.
The seaweed industry in Bangladesh holds significant promise, but it faces several challenges that hinder its growth. Infrastructure gaps such as inadequate processing facilities and inefficient storage and transportation systems limit the sector’s potential. Additionally, technical knowledge gaps, including a lack of expertise in optimal cultivation techniques and species selection, result in inconsistent yields and marketability. Institutional support is also lacking, with insufficient coordination among agencies and limited training programs for farmers.
Despite these challenges, there are numerous opportunities to strengthen the seaweed value chain. Investing in modern processing units can significantly increase the value of raw seaweed, creating diverse products for food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Improved storage and transportation infrastructure will reduce post-harvest losses and improve product quality. Technical capacity-building programs focused on advanced farming methods and sustainable practices can boost yields and market competitiveness. Strengthening policy implementation and fostering private sector involvement, including public-private partnerships, can help create a robust market for seaweed products, ensuring long-term growth and stability.
Coastal communities can realize economic and environmental benefits, such as income diversification and marine ecosystem restoration, through seaweed cultivation, which can reduce dependence on traditional fishing while contributing to the blue economy. With value-added or processed products fetching significantly higher prices, such as Tk 1,000 per kilo for cosmetics, the potential for income generation is immense. By addressing price fluctuations through stable market linkages and improved storage techniques, seaweed farming can create sustainable jobs, promote economic growth, and support Bangladesh’s environmental goals.
Seaweed farming in Bangladesh holds significant potential for sustainable growth, serving as a key driver of the Blue Economy and a vital tool for environmental preservation and marine ecosystem restoration. To realize this potential, capacity building for seaweed farmers, processors, and producers must be a top priority. By adopting best practices from global leaders like China, Indonesia, and South Korea, Bangladeshi farmers can enhance cultivation, harvesting, and processing techniques.
However, technical know-how alone is insufficient. A comprehensive strategy that integrates economic, social, and technological factors is essential for ensuring sustainable and profitable production. While challenges such as infrastructure gaps and limited technical knowledge persist, the opportunities for growth, job creation, and environmental impact are too significant to ignore.
As we look toward the future of seaweed cultivation for sustainable aquaculture in Bangladesh, it is essential for all stakeholders—government, private sector, and local communities—to come together and invest in this promising industry. Government policies to promote seaweed farming in Bangladesh need to be established to foster innovation, support capacity-building initiatives, and create sustainable value chains. By doing so, Bangladesh can pave the way for sustainable seaweed farming.
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