Puerto Princesa Seaweed Network strengthens market linkage and advocacy against inorganic fertilizer

On July 25, USAID’s Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity (SURGE) Project assisted the Puerto Princesa-Palawan Seaweed Network facilitate a consultative planning session with its member-growers, partners from support agencies, local government units, buyers, and processors. Updates on the network’s linkages and advocacy through its partnership with the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) were discussed. USAID/SURGE facilitated in January 2018 the institutional partnership between the two organizations. Seaweed Network Private Sector Vice Chair Angel Rebintinola reported that he referred a number of seaweed producers' groups to SIAP member-buyers and processors interested to procure raw materials from Palawan. Through the network’s participation in SIAP meetings, Mr. Rebintola gained access to updated global market trends for seaweed including important industry developments in other seaweed producing countries such as Indonesia. He explained that a huge carrageenan processing complex in Makassar province in Indonesia is expected to drive strong demand for dried seaweed in the whole ASEAN region. Moreover, the network was informed of the government and seaweed industry's continuing advocacy to discourage seaweed growers from using inorganic fertilizer. The use of fertilizer is a rampant practice in the Western Mindanao region that reduces carrageenan content of dried seaweed and poses risks for Philippine carrageenan products for food-grade applications in the United States market. To boost alternative livelihood of seaweed growers, the network will promote seaweed farming as a tourism attraction in Palawan. It will also propagate other seaweed cultivars that can be sold to niche markets such as hotels, restaurants and tourism-oriented establishments. Through the seaweed network’s institutional linkages with public and private partners, seaweed growers maintain an effective platform for solving important concerns on production, processing and marketing.