UNESCO enhanced the capacity of three women groups of seaweed farmers and producers through refresher training focusing on climate-resilient seaweed farming, value addition, branding, marketing, and financial literacy. The training aimed to strengthen participants’ skills, improve livelihoods, and increase competitiveness within the seaweed sector.
Bringing together 23 women from Northern (Kidoti Village) and Southeastern Zanzibar (Paje) as well as the Vocational Training Authority (VTA) technical staff, the training combined classroom learning, practical demonstrations, and field visits. Funded by the Republic of Korea through the UNESCO BEAR II Project, the initiative continues to empower women seaweed producer groups to improve product quality, promote value addition, enhance market competitiveness, and build more resilient and sustainable livelihoods.
Facilitated by Ms. Theresia Kamote of The DigitalBrain Company Limited on behalf of UNESCO, the training introduced participants to advanced climate-resilient production techniques, including variety selection, disease prevention, particularly measures to control the impact of ice-ice disease, and the application of both off-bottom and deep-water cultivation methods. She emphasised:
Paying attention to climate reliance techniques help to increase productivity, improve resilience to environmental changes, and support sustainable seaweed farming
Ms. Theresia KamoteFacilitator, The DigitalBrain Company Limited
The training strengthened participants’ knowledge of post-harvest handling and quality management. One of the experienced women producer groups (Furahia Wanawake from Paje Village) demonstrated the washing and drying of harvested seaweed using improved techniques to remove impurities, reduce contamination, and maintain product quality. This exercise reinforced the importance of quality assurance in improving market value and consumer confidence.
Ms. Fatuma Idrissa, one of the participants stressed the importance of post-harvest handling and quality management.
’I have learned how to maintain quality throughout the seaweed production process, including washing harvested seaweed, which I was not doing before. From now on, our group will be able to improve market value and consumer confidence by applying these practices. I have also learned the importance of drying seaweed in a clean environment to preserve product quality, prevent contamination, and help meet market standards.
Ms. Fatuma IdrissaKiufupi Tuponao Group
Recognizing the importance of market access and business development, the training provided women producers with skills in branding, packaging, and marketing. Participants learned how to create a basic group brand identity, design simple product labels, and apply batch coding systems to improve product traceability and market recognition. These skills are expected to help producer groups differentiate their products, attract new customers, and strengthen their position within local and regional markets.
In addition, participants gained practical knowledge on value addition, including quality production of value-added products such as seaweed flour, soap, and skin oil. The sessions also emphasized food safety, hygiene, and quality standards to support the production of safe and marketable products.
READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-bear-ii-project-empowers-women-seaweed-producer-groups-zanzibar?hub=701
