ICAR-CIBA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s. Pinnacle Bioscience, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu on 06.02.2023 to create market linkage for the CIBA mentored seaweed farmers to sell the cultivated indigenous brackishwater seaweed species. While signing the MoU Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director, ICAR-CIBA emphasized the importance of seaweed cultivation as a viable livelihood option, a rich source of nutritious food and a major solution for bioremediation of waterbodies. He further briefed about the minerals and nutrients available in seaweeds and importance given to seaweed culture under the PMMSY scheme. Mr. Burosothaman, Research Fellow, M/s. Pinnacle Bioscience added that seaweeds being nutrient rich has high value when converted into energy products, biofertilizers and food products. Demand for seaweeds is very high in the industrial sector as the seaweeds contribute greatly to manufacture agar, alginate, food additives, fertilizer and medicine and there is lack of seaweed availability to meet the demand. Dr. P. Nila Rekha, Principal Scientist and team leader briefly outlined the genesis of the brackishwater seaweed culture starting from bioremediation in shrimp farm discharge water, biofliter for RAS and standardisation of culture practices for indigeneous seaweed Agarophyton tenuistipitata. She also highlighted the significance of this MoU which is mainly for the market linkage to buy back of the cultured brackishwater seaweeds. The program ended with vote of thanks by Dr. P.K. Patil, Principal Scientist & OIC, ITMU of CIBA.
