Novel climate solutions for food production are crucial as agriculture is responsible for 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This project aims to understand the molecular components of bioactive natural products found in a seaweed that, when fed to cattle and sheep, cuts out methane emissions. The project is applying -omic techniques to determine the key genes involved and the ecological factors that influence their expression across the seaweed life cycle.

The findings are providing a platform to harness the full potential of seaweed as a natural additive in livestock feeds.

Asparagopsis is a unique genus of red seaweed that produces natural compounds which suppress methane production in livestock. The intention is to identify the genetic and ecological mechanisms that maximise compound production. This will fast-track the aquaculture development of the seaweed as a viable economic and ecological solution to meet demand from the agriculture industry.

Indonesia is the world’s second-largest producer of seaweeds.
Seaweed aquaculture is one of the few available income-generating opportunities for coastal communities in eastern
Indonesia, with an estimated 120,000 smallholding seaweed
farmers. However, the industry has identified problems with
seaweed quality, processing procedures and utilisation of waste streams from processing. The causes of variation in product quality and production between farming sites, and across seasons, as well as problems with the colour and the longer-term deterioration in gel strength, are currently unknown.

The overall aim of the project is to provide the scientific basis to transform and modernise the Indonesian seaweed industry by taking a ‘whole-of-value-chain’ approach to solve the key
production constraints and develop multiple product opportunities. The project is developing approaches to create
innovative seaweed-based products of improved quality, thus
diversifying the markets into which seaweed can be sold.
Diversification of market opportunities brings direct benefits to
coastal communities, particularly in eastern Indonesia, by raising and stabilising incomes, and increasing revenue streams.

This project aims to develop seaweed aquaculture and consumption for long term health, income and wellbeing in
coastal communities of Kiribati and Samoa. Nutrition-sensitive
agriculture ensures the sustainable production of nutritious,
affordable and safe foods to meet the dietary requirements of
populations. Through the sustainable use of natural resources,
there is an opportunity to transform seaweed fisheries into an
industry with short supply chains and village-based processing
of products for family consumption.

By developing and evaluating gender-inclusive activities in
these two Pacific countries, this project is to shift the focus of
seaweed production from an export-only commodity to one
that provides direct benefits to the health and wellbeing of
local communities, as well as to increase income opportunities
for women. The project partners are the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Samoa and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource Development in Kiribati.

This project works with industry partner NineSquared to
further develop an economic feasibility model to support the
utilisation of seaweed and shellfish production for environmental offsets in South East Queensland. The aims are to conduct a high-level offset market assessment for seaweed and shellfish aquaculture utilising biological data on seaweeds and oysters and engaged with industry and government on the development of economic decision-making tools for environmental offsets. It builds upon previous collaborative
work including a review of government legislation and policy
requirements for environmental offsets in response to
pollutant discharge into the environment.