A new policy paper from the African Development Bank (AFDB) highlights the potential of seaweed farming to boost socio-economic development in African countries, where productivity levels are currently low.  

The new policy paper stresses that African countries should invest more to promote private companies and community involvement in seaweed production and work to expand seaweed farming research and development.  

Seaweed production operations are currently underway in Tanzania, South Africa, Morocco and Madagascar, and the involvement of these regions has enabled seaweed farming to move rapidly from the experimental stage to economic production.  

Africa's seaweed production adds up to just over 200,000 tonnes a year, accounting for 0.5%  the world's total.  

It says Africa's seaweed industry should take full advantage of the $300 million Aqua-Spark fund launched last year -- the first investment fund focused on sustainable aquaculture -- according to the African Development Bank,  Instead of tilapia, investors should use the Aqua-Spark fund for seaweed farming.  

This paper points out that there are hundreds of different African coast each seaweed, so there is plenty of natural resources can be used for algae breeding, and algae should be incorporated into the country's agricultural system, expand the seaweed production will also help Africa through carbon capture to mitigate the effects of climate change, Africa seaweed market of the future will need more powerful support, to diversify the region's aquaculture industry.