Seaweeds farming for sustainable development goals and blue economy in Bangladesh

Seaweeds are primary producers and among the important marine ecosystem engineers capable of modifying their surrounding abiotic and biotic environments. The southern coast of Bangladesh has an excellent prospect for seaweeds farming due to favorable environmental conditions and natural availability of commercially important species. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses, the present study determines potential contribution of seaweeds toward achieving several targets of United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the blue economic development in Bangladesh. There are 300 households engaged in seaweeds farming, primarily along the southeast coast, producing 390 tonnes wet weight (= 97.5 tonnes dry weight) of seaweeds per annum with potential applications in food, feed, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals sectors. And the current seaweeds production can be increased yearly at ~50% rate, which is 50 million tonnes (dry weight) from ~5,000 km2 farming area when extrapolated to the year 2050. This may bring a positive change to issues regarding food security, gender equality, economic growth, nutrients removal, carbon sequestration, employment and aquatic environmental health. Overall, the benefits of seaweeds farming could reflect on 26 targets of 8 SDGs and potentially contribute US$0.7 million to the blue economy in Bangladesh. •32 species of seaweeds are abundant along the coast of Bangladesh and 14 species are commercially important.•Seaweeds production in 2020 was 390 tonnes wet weight (= 97.5 tonnes dry weight).•Seaweeds could potentially contribute to 26 targets of 8 SDGs and US$0.7 million to the blue economy.•By the year 2050 seaweeds production could be increased to 50 million tonnes from ~5,000 km2 of shallow marine waters.