National Pukyong University Transfers 'Seaweed Farming Know-how' to Tanzanian Women Fishers

Selected for KOICA ODA Project, Education and Technology Transfer

An Official Development Assistance (ODA) project supporting the economic empowerment and human rights improvement of local women engaged in fisheries in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa, is attracting attention.

Pukyong National University Daeyeon Campus.

National Pukyong University (President Jang Young-su) has been selected as the executing agency for the "Tanzania Zanzibar Women Fishery Workers Marine Fisheries Value Chain Establishment PMC Project" (Principal Investigator Park Won-kyu), supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

This ODA project, led by the International Fisheries Science Cooperation Program of the Graduate School of Global Fisheries at National Pukyong University, will receive a total of 3.9 billion KRW over four years from this month until December 2027. It aims to transfer advanced technology and know-how in seaweed aquaculture, one of Korea's representative marine-related projects.

Aquaculture in the island region of Zanzibar focuses on the production of seaweeds such as Cotoni (Eucheuma cottonii) and Spinosum (spinosum), with women accounting for 80% of those engaged in seaweed production. Although most residents of Zanzibar are Muslim and women face restrictions in economic activities, aquaculture is an exception.

Most of Zanzibar's seaweed is exported overseas, but due to small-scale aquaculture facilities and a recent decline in seaweed production, the income of female fishery workers in Zanzibar has also decreased.

Professor Park Won-kyu's team at National Pukyong University plans to regularly visit Zanzibar during the project period to provide education for women fishery workers, transfer aquaculture technology, and offer consulting on the construction of drying and aquaculture facilities. They will also support export promotion and the development of the domestic market.

The National Pukyong University team aims to establish a value chain covering all stages of the aquaculture industry?from production to processing and distribution?by transferring not only seaweed but also sea cucumber aquaculture technology to generate additional income.

If the project proceeds successfully, it is expected to enhance the price competitiveness of Zanzibar's seaweed, increase the income and economic capacity of female fishery workers, and lead to the improvement of women's social status.

Notably, this project was planned and developed by Mr. Ali Rashid Hamad, a public official of the Blue Economy Fisheries Department of Tanzania Zanzibar, who completed the National Pukyong University International Fisheries Science Cooperation Program and advanced training for graduates from 2017 to 2018. It is regarded as a project that successfully utilized the human network between Korea and Tanzania.