Upgrading Seaweeds Value Chain in the Philippines

Countries:

Philippines

Start project:

2015

Partners:

Sentro ha Pagpauswag ha Panginabuhi, Inc.

How to optimize the seaweed value chain in the Philippines to increase the income of small-scale fisher folk on the remote Philippine islands of Northern Samar? Seaweed farming is growing into a major economic activity with a high demand on the local and international market. However, the production areas are not sufficient. The project is designed to develop the service market on seaweeds and its position within the private and public market structures.

Background

The program focuses on expanding the areas of production and increasing the production volume of dried seaweeds in Northern Samar. The project also introduces the culture of species of less economic value but with greater capacity to combat stress and diseases which can result in a higher volume: Eucheuma denticulatum (spinosum).

The project runs in the coastal municipalities of Northern Samar. SPPI, the local partner organization in this project, closely monitors the seaweed farmers and trains them on the latest developments in the seaweeds industry. By establishing producer organizations and provide training on leadership, project management, savings mobilization, and gender sensitivity, producer organizations are a sustainable possibility for livelihood and skills development. Also, by forming women’s committees, SPPI is empowering women to have a voice in rural and local economic development.

The presence of consolidators (developed through this project) in the villages also helps in encouraging farmers to plant because they can always sell their product without incurring heavy (transportation) costs in bringing the product to the market. SPPI in this case has brought the market to the poor.

The project also aims to build the capacity of the local NGO SPPI to be a microfinance institution (MFI). The SPPI MFI will service the financing requirements of its value chain intervention. This project is being supported to promote the development of the service market on seaweeds in the island municipalities, and improve its position within market structures and its public and private actors.

This project is part of a partnership between ICCO Cooperation South East Asia and SPPIâs Local Economy Development Program (LEDP). The project involves the participation of members of the Samar Island Seaweeds Value Chain Network; the seaweed farmers, academe, Philippine National Police, government agencies like the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, local government, and the NGO SPPI.