Local knowledge, utilisation and consumption of seaweed in coastal communities of southwestern Madagascar

Abstract

This study explored the local knowledge, utilisation and consumption of seaweeds (lomotsy in Malagasy) among coastal communities in  southwestern Madagascar. Primary data were collected in eight villages, through a survey questionnaire (with a total of 629 respondents)  and daily focus group discussions, conducted between May and December 2022. The findings reveal widespread familiarity  with seaweed, used predominantly for farming, cleaning fishing equipment, and shading fish during transport. A smaller  proportion of respondents (9%) had experimented with seaweed as a food source, notably incorporating species like Kappaphycus  alvarezii and Hydroclathrus clathratus into soups and sauces. Despite the coastal inhabitants’ recognition of seaweed, the potential of the  seaweed resource has not been fully developed, with utilisation restricted mainly to limited traditional practices. An interest in  incorporating seaweed into a person’s future diet or in seaweed cultivation was expressed by 58% and 45% of the respondents,  respectively. This study underscores the importance of enhanced and sustainable use of the seaweed resource in Madagascar’s coastal  communities, presenting opportunities for economic development and ecological conservation.