ABOUT
Seaweed Cultivation in East Nusa Tenggara
General Information
In Indonesia the term Rumput Laut is used to describe a number of different types of macro algae. Some of these types of algae have economic significance because they contain chemical constituents that are very useful in the food, pharmacy and cosmetic industries.
The types of algae that have economic importance within Indonesia come mainly from the genera Acanthopora, Glacilaria, Gelidiella, Gelidium which produce agar-agar or gelatin, Chondrus, Eucheuma, Gigartina which produce carrageenan, Furcellaria, Ascophyllum and Ecklonia which produce alginate (Indriani and Sumiarsih, 1994). The majority of farmers in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) favour the species Eucheuma cottonnii and it is already being cultivated in a number of regions within the province.
These algae grow best in sea that is relatively shallow and clean. Whilst it can grow in water up to 20 metres in depth it grows most effectively just below the surface where the light intensity is greatest. Water temperature needs to be between 28 – 34 0C and salinity between 28 – 34 ppm (Afrianto and Liviawati, 1989). Growth is also influenced by the availability of nutrients which are provided. Water movement, 20 – 40 m per minute, by either wind or current is optimal to assist in this circulation of nutrients without damaging the plants (Kinch et al, 2003) .
Depending on environmental conditions, daily growth rates can be up to 8% with 2-6% being the common range (SuriaLink, 2003) . Discussion with farmers in Rote and Tablolong (West Timor) suggests growth rates of 3-4% occur when conditions are favourable. This means that an initial 100g of algae will increase to five times this size, or 500g, after approximately 40-45 days. This represents the typical harvest cycle in NTT.
Tarumingkeng and Coto (2003) undertook a detailed analysis of the commercial cultivation of seaweed in NTT. They found that in the region around Kupang , including the islands of Rote and Sabu, there is around 19,900 hectares of coastlines suited to cultivation. Of this area, 1,370 ha or 6.9% of the available area is currently being utilised. With the exception of 3 locations in Sabu, no other region within NTT had achieved even 30% utilisation of available area, and most were well below 10% utilisation.
Cultivation Process
Algae is able to be reproduced vegetatively, so farmers need to buy or take from existing stock, small segments of healthy algae. Each segment will weigh around 100-200g (wet weight).
Most farmers in NTT use the “Lepas Dasar” or suspended method of cultivation. Farmers attach segments of algae to a nylon rope at around 20 – 25 cm intervals using plastic twine. The nylon rope is usually 6mm diameter and in lengths of 20 –100m depending on the location. Each end of the nylon is anchored to a bamboo pole and empty plastic bottles are tied along the rope to keep the rope floating just below the surface. Farmers tend the algae daily to remove any parasites or other weeds.
Harvest
After around 45 days the algae is ready to harvest. Some farmers harvest one rope at a time or sections of a rope at a time depending on their own preference. Usually, at harvest, the thicker base of the algae will be harvested and the healthiest growing tip of the algae will be re-attached to the rope to begin the next crop.
After harvest the algae must be dried before it can be sold. Drying takes 2-3 days. During the drying process algae must be protected from rain, as this will ruin the dried product. Local research in NTT by Tjendanawangi (2003), suggests that the final dry weight of the algae will be approximately 13% of the harvested wet weight. Farmers generally work with 10% as a rough estimate. This means 100kg of wet algae will produce around 10kg of dried, saleable product.
Weather, Pests and Diseases
Weather conditions, including extreme rainfall, heat, wind or storms all have the potential to damage crops because of their direct influence on the algae or through their influence of factors like water temperature and salinity.
Sediadi and Budihardjo (2000) identified a number of common diseases among algae. The major disease that is found in the genus Eucheuma, the one most commonly grown in NTT, is a bacteria known locally by the name “ice-ice” because it causes the green algae to turn a white-ish colour. They suggest that this disease is brought about by extreme changes in the environment relating to currents, temperature and rainfall in particular, all of which make it easier for the bacteria to grow rapidly.
A range of other animals including fish and echinoderms (sea stars etc.) were also identified as potential problems because they eat the algae. Farmers often try to avoid these animals by erecting nylon netting to fence off their crops.
Market
Tarumingkeng and Coto (2003) estimate that only 10% of Indonesia’s requirments for algal products is being met by local production. This figure does not take into account the significant export potential of these products. Local farmers in NTT have no difficulty in finding buyers from Java, who come weekly or monthly to the cultivation areas within NTT to buy.
One buyer that is yet to operate in NTT communicated directly to TLM management that he was prepared to enter the market in NTT if he could be guaranteed a minimum of 100 tonnes per month of dried product.
At the local level, farmers receive between Rp 3,500 – 4,000 per kilogram of dried product. This equates to around AUD$ 0.60 or US$ 0.40 per kilogram. This is also approximately equal to the price of one kilogram of rice bought locally in NTT. The minimum wage in NTT is set at around Rp 385,000 per month, or equivalent to around 100kg of dried seaweed product.
Impact on Local Communities in NTT
The impact of algae production is very significant in small caostal communities. Most of the farmers have vegetable gardens that they manage in the wet season (Dec – Mar), but often these gardens are unproductive in the long dry season (Apr – Nov). Traditionally, during the dry season farmers live off dried corn and other stored vegetables, and buy other necessities from the money they have received from the sale of any extra vegetables following the wet season. The seaweed grows best during this dry season, making it an excellent “cash crop” for farmers who have little agricultural activity during this period.
Tjendanawangi (2003) has calculated that in NTT one hectare of seaweed cultivation can produce around 30 tonnes of dried product per year based on 6 crop cycles per year. This would equate to an income of AUD$ 16,000 or US$ 12,000 per year. Some expenses for replacing ropes and occasionally buying new “seedling” stock will arise, however once established, on-going costs are not high unless some major catastrophe befalls the farmers. The resulting income is very significant for the farmers involved.
At the individual level, TLM’s calculations suggest that a farmer with 100m of rope for cultivation would be able to earn AUD$ 160 or US$ 120 per year, which is not enough to survive on alone but is a significant contribution to household income. TLM calculations show that with 600 – 1000m of rope, farmers would be able to generate income sufficient for their family to survive quite adequately. This could be achieved in an area of approximately 0.1 ha.
TLM Strategy
TLM has three strategies to assist the poor farmers in areas suited to the cultivation of seaweed.
The first is to provide loan capital to allow for the purchasing of new ropes, floats and “seedling” algae to either begin a new cultivation or expand an exisiting one. Clients repay these loans in installments once they begin to harvest their seaweed crops. Currently in Nembrala and the neighbourng village of Oeseli (both on the island of Rote) TLM has arond 100 such loan clients. The smallest loan sizes start at AUD$ 40 or US$ 30 and can be up to 10 times this amount for farmers with the potential to significantly expand their businesses.
Secondly, as part of the loan program, TLM encourages farmers to make savings with TLM. These savings become a guarantee for the farmers against future problems and provides a source of capital for later expansion or for coping with unexpected problems that may arise.
Thirdly, TLM is in the process of preparing training materials to help farmers improve their techniques so that their income can be significantly increased. This training will include information relating to optimal growing conditions, diseases and how to avoid them and drying techniques that produce the purest finished product. Within this component, TLM hopes to work with the farmers to encourage them to cooperate and share knowledge and skills and also create more effective marketing approach. TLM intends to create information posts in each location where clients are located, so that farmers may freely come to obtain information and advice. Ultimately TLM will also provide additional information relating to general issues of health, hygiene etc. In these information posts.
In Indonesia the term Rumput Laut is used to describe a number of different types of macro algae. Some of these types of algae have economic significance because they contain chemical constituents that are very useful in the food, pharmacy and cosmetic industries.
The types of algae that have economic importance within Indonesia come mainly from the genera Acanthopora, Glacilaria, Gelidiella, Gelidium which produce agar-agar or gelatin, Chondrus, Eucheuma, Gigartina which produce carrageenan, Furcellaria, Ascophyllum and Ecklonia which produce alginate (Indriani and Sumiarsih, 1994). The majority of farmers in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) favour the species Eucheuma cottonnii and it is already being cultivated in a number of regions within the province.
These algae grow best in sea that is relatively shallow and clean. Whilst it can grow in water up to 20 metres in depth it grows most effectively just below the surface where the light intensity is greatest. Water temperature needs to be between 28 – 34 0C and salinity between 28 – 34 ppm (Afrianto and Liviawati, 1989). Growth is also influenced by the availability of nutrients which are provided. Water movement, 20 – 40 m per minute, by either wind or current is optimal to assist in this circulation of nutrients without damaging the plants (Kinch et al, 2003) .
Depending on environmental conditions, daily growth rates can be up to 8% with 2-6% being the common range (SuriaLink, 2003) . Discussion with farmers in Rote and Tablolong (West Timor) suggests growth rates of 3-4% occur when conditions are favourable. This means that an initial 100g of algae will increase to five times this size, or 500g, after approximately 40-45 days. This represents the typical harvest cycle in NTT.
Tarumingkeng and Coto (2003) undertook a detailed analysis of the commercial cultivation of seaweed in NTT. They found that in the region around Kupang , including the islands of Rote and Sabu, there is around 19,900 hectares of coastlines suited to cultivation. Of this area, 1,370 ha or 6.9% of the available area is currently being utilised. With the exception of 3 locations in Sabu, no other region within NTT had achieved even 30% utilisation of available area, and most were well below 10% utilisation.
Cultivation Process
Algae is able to be reproduced vegetatively, so farmers need to buy or take from existing stock, small segments of healthy algae. Each segment will weigh around 100-200g (wet weight).
Most farmers in NTT use the “Lepas Dasar” or suspended method of cultivation. Farmers attach segments of algae to a nylon rope at around 20 – 25 cm intervals using plastic twine. The nylon rope is usually 6mm diameter and in lengths of 20 –100m depending on the location. Each end of the nylon is anchored to a bamboo pole and empty plastic bottles are tied along the rope to keep the rope floating just below the surface. Farmers tend the algae daily to remove any parasites or other weeds.
Harvest
After around 45 days the algae is ready to harvest. Some farmers harvest one rope at a time or sections of a rope at a time depending on their own preference. Usually, at harvest, the thicker base of the algae will be harvested and the healthiest growing tip of the algae will be re-attached to the rope to begin the next crop.
After harvest the algae must be dried before it can be sold. Drying takes 2-3 days. During the drying process algae must be protected from rain, as this will ruin the dried product. Local research in NTT by Tjendanawangi (2003), suggests that the final dry weight of the algae will be approximately 13% of the harvested wet weight. Farmers generally work with 10% as a rough estimate. This means 100kg of wet algae will produce around 10kg of dried, saleable product.
Weather, Pests and Diseases
Weather conditions, including extreme rainfall, heat, wind or storms all have the potential to damage crops because of their direct influence on the algae or through their influence of factors like water temperature and salinity.
Sediadi and Budihardjo (2000) identified a number of common diseases among algae. The major disease that is found in the genus Eucheuma, the one most commonly grown in NTT, is a bacteria known locally by the name “ice-ice” because it causes the green algae to turn a white-ish colour. They suggest that this disease is brought about by extreme changes in the environment relating to currents, temperature and rainfall in particular, all of which make it easier for the bacteria to grow rapidly.
A range of other animals including fish and echinoderms (sea stars etc.) were also identified as potential problems because they eat the algae. Farmers often try to avoid these animals by erecting nylon netting to fence off their crops.
Market
Tarumingkeng and Coto (2003) estimate that only 10% of Indonesia’s requirments for algal products is being met by local production. This figure does not take into account the significant export potential of these products. Local farmers in NTT have no difficulty in finding buyers from Java, who come weekly or monthly to the cultivation areas within NTT to buy.
One buyer that is yet to operate in NTT communicated directly to TLM management that he was prepared to enter the market in NTT if he could be guaranteed a minimum of 100 tonnes per month of dried product.
At the local level, farmers receive between Rp 3,500 – 4,000 per kilogram of dried product. This equates to around AUD$ 0.60 or US$ 0.40 per kilogram. This is also approximately equal to the price of one kilogram of rice bought locally in NTT. The minimum wage in NTT is set at around Rp 385,000 per month, or equivalent to around 100kg of dried seaweed product.
Impact on Local Communities in NTT
The impact of algae production is very significant in small caostal communities. Most of the farmers have vegetable gardens that they manage in the wet season (Dec – Mar), but often these gardens are unproductive in the long dry season (Apr – Nov). Traditionally, during the dry season farmers live off dried corn and other stored vegetables, and buy other necessities from the money they have received from the sale of any extra vegetables following the wet season. The seaweed grows best during this dry season, making it an excellent “cash crop” for farmers who have little agricultural activity during this period.
Tjendanawangi (2003) has calculated that in NTT one hectare of seaweed cultivation can produce around 30 tonnes of dried product per year based on 6 crop cycles per year. This would equate to an income of AUD$ 16,000 or US$ 12,000 per year. Some expenses for replacing ropes and occasionally buying new “seedling” stock will arise, however once established, on-going costs are not high unless some major catastrophe befalls the farmers. The resulting income is very significant for the farmers involved.
At the individual level, TLM’s calculations suggest that a farmer with 100m of rope for cultivation would be able to earn AUD$ 160 or US$ 120 per year, which is not enough to survive on alone but is a significant contribution to household income. TLM calculations show that with 600 – 1000m of rope, farmers would be able to generate income sufficient for their family to survive quite adequately. This could be achieved in an area of approximately 0.1 ha.
TLM Strategy
TLM has three strategies to assist the poor farmers in areas suited to the cultivation of seaweed.
The first is to provide loan capital to allow for the purchasing of new ropes, floats and “seedling” algae to either begin a new cultivation or expand an exisiting one. Clients repay these loans in installments once they begin to harvest their seaweed crops. Currently in Nembrala and the neighbourng village of Oeseli (both on the island of Rote) TLM has arond 100 such loan clients. The smallest loan sizes start at AUD$ 40 or US$ 30 and can be up to 10 times this amount for farmers with the potential to significantly expand their businesses.
Secondly, as part of the loan program, TLM encourages farmers to make savings with TLM. These savings become a guarantee for the farmers against future problems and provides a source of capital for later expansion or for coping with unexpected problems that may arise.
Thirdly, TLM is in the process of preparing training materials to help farmers improve their techniques so that their income can be significantly increased. This training will include information relating to optimal growing conditions, diseases and how to avoid them and drying techniques that produce the purest finished product. Within this component, TLM hopes to work with the farmers to encourage them to cooperate and share knowledge and skills and also create more effective marketing approach. TLM intends to create information posts in each location where clients are located, so that farmers may freely come to obtain information and advice. Ultimately TLM will also provide additional information relating to general issues of health, hygiene etc. In these information posts.
