Iloilo sets up seaweed nursery in San Dionisio

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Iloilo Provincial Government has established a sea-based seaweed nursery in the coastal waters of Barangay Sua, San Dionisio, as part of efforts to strengthen the province’s seaweed industry and support local farmers.

The project, implemented through the Provincial Agriculture Office, features six high-density polyethylene floating baskets designed to cultivate and maintain healthy seaweed planting materials.

It is funded under the province’s 2025 program and will be managed by the Sua Seaweed Growers Association.

The nursery design was adapted from research developed by the University of the Philippines Visayas College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Seaweed Laboratory, which promotes the use of high-density polyethylene floating baskets to improve the propagation of quality seaweed seedlings.

The provincial government said the initiative addresses key gaps in Northern Iloilo’s seaweed sector, particularly the lack of reliable sources of high-quality planting materials.

The project falls under the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System, which aims to enhance productivity and technical capacity in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

The nursery is also expected to complement the planned establishment of a Seaweed Culture Laboratory at the Northern Iloilo State University-Concepcion Campus.

Local seaweed farmers are expected to benefit from improved seaweed strains, as well as access to technical assistance and technology transfer through the program.

The initiative also highlights the importance of collaboration among government agencies, academic institutions and local stakeholders in advancing sustainable seaweed production and expanding livelihood opportunities for coastal communities in Northern Iloilo.