SDG 14: Life Below Water | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Institutions: Ministry of Earth Sciences | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change | Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
The Caribbean is facing an escalating Sargassum seaweed crisis, with massive influxes of the brown algae—the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt—choking coastlines, collapsing tourism, and damaging crucial infrastructure and marine ecosystems. Instead of treating the vast amounts of seaweed purely as waste, the region, supported by the International Trade Centre (ITC), is pursuing a strategic Circular Economy approach. Local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are innovating processes to convert this ecological burden into high-value commercial products. These new items range from sustainable fertilizers and animal feed supplements to bioplastics and building materials, creating a nascent Sargassum Industry. This effort is directly fostering employment and economic diversification away from traditional coastal sectors.
This policy response serves as a critical blueprint for India’s national strategies, particularly the Deep Ocean Mission and the push for a Blue Economy. It demonstrates adaptive, crisis-driven governance where the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change can collaborate with the Ministry of MSME to actively incentivize domestic entrepreneurship and trade, applying circular economy principles to India’s own coastal waste or other unexpected environmental challenges.
What is the Sargassum seaweed crisis and why is it a policy problem? → Sargassum is a genus of free-floating brown algae that has seen unprecedented blooms across the Atlantic, known as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. When massive mats wash ashore, they decompose, suffocating marine life, releasing toxic gases, and causing millions in losses to coastal economies and public health.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What supportive policy and financial mechanisms should India implement to incentivize MSMEs to lead the valorization of domestic coastal/agricultural waste?
Follow the full news here: https://www.intracen.org/news-and-events/news/turning-crises-into-opportunities-isnt-new-for-us-in-the-caribbean-sargassum