Tropical Farms
-
Hi there!
I've noticed a couple of posts regarding the implementation of these farms in the tropics.
This discussion thread is being created as a place to post questions, answers, and resources which might be helpful to those who are also interested in creating farms in warmer waters.
This hub is fantastic and has been so useful! Hopefully, we can create a network of farmers in the tropical regions too.
@nathan_pflaum - I am currently at the early stages of evaluation for starting this inspiring concept in Indonesia. The waters here are of course too warm for Sugar Kelp but there are other species being grown around the islands. Use cases range from food, cosmetics, biofuels, and fertilizers here.
@loretta_roberson has posted a link to her project in a previous discussion which I will post here again as a starting point:
https://www.mbl.edu/research/r...
I'd love to hear from anyone that has experience in growing seaweed/kelp, bivalves or sea cucumbers in the tropics.
@nathan_pflaum I have experience growing Eucheuma cottonii in St.Lucia. Let me know if you have any questions..
Thanks
Julien
@nathan_pflaum - great to hear you are interested in tropical seaweeds! They have a lot of promise but also unique challenges. We hope to develop our farm site in Puerto Rico as a test bed to allow people to visit, test new ideas, and learn best practices. In the meantime, here is a great reference or how-to for tropical seaweed farming by Erick Ask. Erick Ask tropical seaweed handbookFrom the handbook:
1. Successful development of a cultivation industry is associated with the participation of carrageenan companies. These companies assure the project is market driven and at least the two largest companies provide their expertise in introduction of the cultivation industry.
2. Successful site selection is based on assuring that social, economic, political, logistic, demographic and environmental parameters make sense for cottonii and/or spinosum farming and that shipping costs to carrageenan plants are competitive.
3. Success follows projects that are properly funded, have timelines that allow for the inevitable setbacks, use experienced management and qualified field technicians and have a competent commercial structure.
@loretta_roberson - Thank you again for more resources!
Would love to hear how you get on with your project in Puerto Rico.
The research paper you posted is another great resource to help get started here. I'm hoping to have more to add to this discussion and potential with other species for multi-cropping in the warm seas here
@loretta_roberson - Amazing work you are doing. Very generous offer you mention about setting up your farm in Puerto Rico for visit and benchmarking. I'd like to take you up on that offer, which I believe will give me more confidence and competence, in my grow in Kenya.
@loretta_roberson - Thank you again for more resources!
Would love to hear how you get on with your project in Puerto Rico.
The research paper you posted is another great resource to help get started here. I'm hoping to have more to add to this discussion and potential with other species for multi-cropping in the warm seas here
@nathan_pflaum - Jambo! Greetings from Kenya, East Africa. I was pointed here by the kind @lindsay_olsen. I too wish to initiate cultivation I'm my part of the country's North Coast, where there was none before. The manual and previous sound advice are timely resources. I invite advice, direction and hope to both share and learn experiences.
If any of you want a volunteer/intern to add value to your projects, I'm currently available. I offer this to both gain confidence & competence in my grows
@loretta_roberson - Amazing work you are doing. Very generous offer you mention about setting up your farm in Puerto Rico for visit and benchmarking. I'd like to take you up on that offer, which I believe will give me more confidence and competence, in my grow in Kenya.
@nathan_pflaum
Hi, I'm interested in getting a multi product farm going in Costa Rica, am doing my best to get educated as best I can as fast as I can, thou having issues finding the types of seeweed suitable to grow in tropic waters. I am also interested in seafood production, I'll be setting up on the pacific side, Nicoya peninsula
Any insite Info would be much appreciated
Tom
2bcfoley@gmail.com
@nathan_pflaum I have experience growing Eucheuma cottonii in St.Lucia. Let me know if you have any questions..
Thanks
Julien