Adding value in foundation links of tropical seaplant value networks
2006
Neish, I.C.
The farming of Eucheuma seaplants led to a paradigm shift in the carrageenan industry as the 1970s led into the 1980s. Until that time, the industry had relied primarily on wild stocks of cold water marine algae. By the mid 1980's cultivated tropical seaplants made up the bulk of carrageenan raw material. The availability of this crop enabled the development of semi-refined carrageenan (SRC) industry and drove a shift of process capacity and business start-ups, first toward the Philippines, and then toward Indonesia and other Asian countries. The foundation of tropical seaplant value chains in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME). Unfortunately, the sustainability of such enterprises has been impaired by a lack of access to many business enterprise essentials. Modern information and communications technology (ICT) now presents means for delivering such essentials to seaplant farming MSME everywhere. One of the major opportunities presented by this situation is the increasing feasibility of adding value to seaplants close to the farms where they grow. Developing technology and business systems are increasingly enabling the retention and development of crop value,which is only possible if processing commences with live crops 'at the beach'. The present paper describes some of the means by which the SEAPlantNet initiative of IFC-PENSA and PEP Philippines is striving to assist seaplant farm MSME in benefiting from such opportunities.
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