Seaweed cultivation
Supporting farmer groups in South and Central Sulawesi to grow Eucheuma cottoni — sustainably, productively, and with a buyer waiting.
The crop
Eucheuma cottoni (Kappaphycus alvarezii) is a red seaweed farmed in the shallow coastal waters of Sulawesi. It is the main raw material for kappa-carrageenan, a natural thickener and stabiliser used worldwide in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
It grows quickly, needs no feed or fertiliser, and can be harvested several times a year — which makes it one of the most accessible livelihoods for coastal families.
How we support farmers
- Farmer group centres. Farmers are organised into groups within an industrial-cluster model, each served by a Farmer Group Centre.
- Mentoring and technical assistance. Since 2002 our Business Development Services team has worked in the field with farmers, first under a programme of the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs.
- Savings and loans. Cooperative savings and loan services give farmers working capital for seedlings, lines and equipment.
- A guaranteed market. Partnerships with factories and exporters mean every group knows where its harvest will be sold.
Where we work
South Sulawesi (Sulawesi Selatan) and Central Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tengah).
Further reading
- Long-Line vs Off-Bottom: How Seaweed Is Farmed in Sulawesi — farming methods and what they mean for supply
- Why Drying Decides the Price of Dried Seaweed — post-harvest quality
- Carrageenan vs Agar: Which Seaweed Your Product Actually Needs — cottonii, spinosum and Gracilaria
- Seasons, Disease and Climate: Managing Supply Risk in Tropical Seaweed
- Sourcing Eucheuma Cottonii from Indonesia: A Buyer’s Guide