Overview
Indonesia is the largest global producer of the red seaweeds Kappaphycus alvarezii and Eucheuma denticulatum which are used to produce carrageenan, and is a major producer of Gracilaria, used to produce agar.
Most of the seaweed farming in Indonesia is carried out by smallholder farmers. It is an attractive crop because of the low capital and operating costs and simple farming techniques. The short growing cycle and relatively low labour requirements allow farmers to receive a regular income from seaweed throughout the year, while also maintaining other employment or livelihood activities.
These seaweed recipes were collected from interviews with women's groups in the South Sulawesi region of Indonesia, as part of the ACIAR project Improving seaweed production and processing opportunities in Indonesia (FIS/2015/038). The recipes are designed to incorporate locally grown varieties of seaweed into both new and traditional food and beverages, to improve the nutritional value of the products and to provide an outlet for the seaweed grown by smallholder farmers.
This monograph, written in English and Bahasa Indonesia, will also enhance the profile of the women’s groups who contributed their recipes.
