Seaweed Production in Kenya amid Environmental, Market, and COVID-19 Pandemic Challenges

Despite being a widely accepted, viable, and sustainable livelihood for coastal communities in the Western Indian Ocean region, seaweed farming in Kenya has faced several challenges, including environmental, marketing, limited space for expansion, and, recently, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, among others. In the present study, we discuss the results of a survey conducted to assess the status of seaweed farms, seaweed biomass production, and the household economic status of a small-scale coastal seaweed farming village on the southern coast of Kenya upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study established that the immediate containment measures imposed by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic had extremely negative impacts on the general performance of seaweed production strategies in Kenya. The smooth flow of farm management was interrupted, with 80% of the farms being in a dilapidated state and seed preservation structures in deep water collapsed. The year’s total sales results showed a 6% decline in seaweed biomass in 2019 after losing approximately 135 tonnes (dwt) of seaweed, worth approximately KSh. 3.0 million. The loss of this revenue, coupled with the loss of clients for locally made seaweed value-added products, adversely affected the economic livelihood of seaweed farmers in Kibuyuni village. Based on the experience of COVID-19 impacts on seaweed farming in Kenya, a multidisciplinary approach composed of governments, development partners, donor agencies, researchers, and farmers has a substantial role in mitigating these challenges to ensure the sustainability and resilience of this important livelihood in the WIO region.