READING TIME: 3 MINS
In an increasingly disruptive and climate uncertain world, ocean farming is becoming a game of high risk and low return. For years we have exploited our ocean for food and natural resources, to the point of systemic breakdown. But, there are still sustainable and regenerative ways in which to work with our ocean. Seaweed farming is one such instance! Seaweed is amongst the fastest growing biomass on the planet and is versatile in its uses. It produces food, minimises environmental damage, mitigates climate change through the absorption of carbon and nitrogen, and cleans up the oceans at the same time. Incredibly, farming requires zero input which means that ocean farmers don’t need to add anything into the system in order for the algae and animals to thrive.
We partnered with The Good Ocean, an ocean-based business focused on seaweed in Goa, to explore production and harvesting of locally found seaweed species, specifically Gracilaria (a red seaweed) and Sargassum (a green seaweed). Our pilot project was located a stones throw-away from Gokarna, in the postcard perfect Aghanashini Estuary in Karnataka, and ran from October 2021 to April 2022.
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EcoNiche was the early-stage investor in this project. Our aims were to understand the investment case for self-sustaining regenerative ocean-based farming solutions to the climate, biodiversity and local coastal livelihood crises, and support local women-led businesses​
Our Learnings.
Piloting the seaweed farm was exciting and deeply instructive, even with the considerable challenges we encountered along the way. Over the past six months, the process has taught us just how critical several foundational elements are for successful, native seaweed farming in India’s coastal waters:
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Location Identification: Selecting the right site determines almost everything that follows. Understanding tidal patterns, water movement, depth, salinity, and substrate conditions was essential to ensure that native seaweed species could thrive. Even minor shifts in exposure or flow affected growth rates and survival.
Partner Selection: Co-creating with the right community and institutional partners made all the difference. Their knowledge of local waters, fishing patterns, and coastal risks helped us adapt quickly. Strong partnerships also ensured ownership, safety, and continuity in day-to-day operations.
Evidence-Based Planning & Development: Seaweed farming cannot rely on assumptions. We learned the value of grounding every decision - species choice, farm design, spacing, anchoring, seasonality - in ecological evidence and field data. Early observations informed rapid adjustments, which ultimately strengthened the farm’s stability and productivity.
Monitoring & Management of Farm Operations: Routine monitoring became the backbone of the pilot. Tracking growth, water quality, grazing pressure, and biofouling helped us manage risks and respond before small issues became major setbacks. Regular operational management ensured the farm remained stable through changing conditions.
Impact Monitoring: Beyond farm operations, we monitored ecological and livelihood impacts. This included understanding how the farm influenced local biodiversity, fish presence, and water quality, while also tracking the potential for supplementary income and women’s participation in the value chain. These insights will shape how we scale responsibly.
Back in 2021 there were very few people working on testing local Indian seaweed farm models. Nisha (ad her team) incredibly supportive through the entire process of co-developing the proposal, finalising the budget and most importantly investing in the pilot through her company EcoNiche. The seaweed pilot farms were challenging to set up and it was possible because of Nisha's ability to convert a concept into a tangible project, combined with her calm and straightforward way of working on the field. Her work and the company she runs (EcoNiche) are able to speak well to the needs of all stakeholders, especially those working on conservation projects on ground, through their very collaborative and democratic working approaches.
Ms. Gabriella D'Cruz
Founder, Good Ocean
The Way Ahead.
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Eventually we hope to develop community-led and small-scale sustainable seaweed farming along the West Coast of India, specifically to:
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upscale and replicate the farms,
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link small and medium-scale seaweed farmers to new markets by connecting farmers, buyers, and consumers across diverse industries in ways that support thriving local farms, economies and coastal communities,
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compensate seaweed farmers in fair and just ways for the climate-positive role of their farms, including carbon and nitrogen removal, and
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compensate seaweed farmers for the biodiversity-positive services their farms provided, such as water filtration, as a food source and habitat provision.
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Goa will be allocated 11.43 crores under the Central Government's Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) scheme for expanding seaweed cultivation, as well as the establishment of seed banks, genetic improvement programmes for high yielding cultivars, seaweed parks and allied seaweed production activities. However, there is little foundation on which to base our work. To date no updated systematic studies on seaweed species diversity, abundance and seasonal changes have been conducted in the state. Additionally, there is no State-level roadmap to support action, nor any governance, regulatory or policy framework to ensure sustainable and responsible implementation of seaweed farming. We must tread carefully in order that seaweed-based farming actions deliver on promises to positively address the climate and biodiversity crises, and don't instead become a cautionary tale.
(Read more about this pilot initiative in Condé Nast Traveller, The Times of India and The Locavore.)​​