Abstract:
Seaweed farming is a cornerstone of Tanzania’s blue economy, supporting
livelihoods, women’s employment, and climate adaptation. This study
examined the socioeconomic, ecological, and governance dimensions of
seaweed farming in the Tanga Region using a mixed-methods approach
combining household surveys (n = 352), ten (10) key informant interviews, and
three (3) focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS
(version 25) using descriptive statistics, correlation, ANOVA, and regression,
while qualitative data underwent thematic content analysis within the
Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) and Gender and Development (GAD)
frameworks. Results show that 82% of households depend primarily on
seaweed for income, with women comprising 67% of producers. However,
production is limited by ice-ice disease (73%), heat stress (65%), and market
dependence on middlemen (87.8%), while only 3.1% of farmers engage in
value addition. Education, household income, and access to extension
services significantly predict adaptive capacity, revealing an adaptation gap
that disadvantages low-income and less-educated farmers, particularly women.
The study concludes that despite its economic importance, seaweed farming
reinforces
structural
inequalities.
Strengthening
gender-responsive
governance, promoting climate-resilient technologies, and enhancing local
value addition are vital for transforming the sector into a driver of inclusive and
sustainable coastal development.
