BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Dala village in Sandfly Passage of Central Islands province celebrated their first-ever seaweed harvest, an achievement after almost a year into farming the sea plant gold.
A statement published on the Central Islands Forum (CIP – Ngella, Savo & Russell) page highlighted the challenges faced during the project and the perseverance that led to this success.
“The project began with many struggles. It started as a group initiative, and although there were challenges along the way, the community remained committed.
“The first planting was done in 2025, and today we have successfully completed our first harvest. This is an important milestone for our seaweed farming and processing project,” the statement said.
The community is said to have worked collectively through group and block-to-block planting, supporting one another throughout the process.
“One of the biggest challenges has been community funding, but despite this, the group found ways to overcome the difficulties and move forward.
“While seaweed farming is not new in other provinces, this is the first time our community has undertaken such a project. This achievement shows unity, resilience, and the potential for future development,” the statement said.
While the harvest brings good news for seaweed farmers in Sandfly and other parts of Central Islands province, it also represents a positive achievement for the seaweed industry nationwide.
It also reflects the steady growth of the industry and contributes towards the target of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) to expand seaweed production to 10,000 metric tonnes by 2026.
To support this goal, the national government through MFMR continues to assist seaweed development across the country by providing training and farming materials to local farmers.
In recent years, significant progress has been recorded with increased seaweed production in several sites in the country, including Wagina in Choiseul province, Lau in Malaita province, Shortland in Western province, Ngella and Russell in Central Islands province, Marau in Guadalcanal province, and other locations nationwide.
MFMR encourages coastal communities to engage in seaweed farming, as it provides an alternative source of income for Solomon Islanders.
Currently, Wagina accounts for nearly 70 percent of the country’s seaweed production, with the remaining 30 percent produced by other provinces in the country.
Photo: Central Islands Forum
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