Scientific cultivation of Seaweed proves boon for the local community in Tamil Nadu

Details:

Empowerment of the marginalised communities had always been at the helm of Science, Technology and Innovation activities by our various scientific organisations. Serving the cause of societal upliftment through scientific intervention, the Marine Algal Research Station, a unit of CSIR’s Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR-CSMCRI) located at Mandapam, Tamil Nadu has empowered the local community, particularly women, by imparting skill training to them in seaweed cultivation by deploying modern techniques and latest tools. As many as 2000 locals have been trained including many women who are the breadwinners of their families and are now earning handsome dividends on seaweed farming. Seaweeds are macroscopic algae also termed as the ‘Medical Food of the 21st Century’ due to their usage as laxatives, for making pharmaceutical capsules, in treatment of goiter, cancer, bone-replacement therapy and in cardiovascular surgeries. This capacity-building activity has ensured livelihood for the locals and has gone a long way in empowering them.

Principal Investigator: Dr M. Ganesan, CSIR-CSMCRI, Mandapam. ganesan@csmcri.res.in

Implementing Agency: CSIR’s Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR-CSMCRI), Mandapam, Tamil Nadu

Funding Agency: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)