This collaboration is a strategic step towards developing ITSRC as a center of excellence for tropical seaweed research in Indonesia, according to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment's press release here on Friday.
"With an extensive global network, this collaboration will unlock the great potential of seaweed in Indonesia, which has the most diverse tropical varieties in the world," the ministry's Deputy for Maritime Resources, Firman Hidayat, remarked.
Hidayat noted that the government will continue to collaborate to encourage the growth of seaweed as a future flagship commodity.
The collaboration will involve experts and research institutions as well as develop partnerships with the private sector and industry to ensure that the cooperation is fully integrated from upstream to downstream.
He highlighted that Indonesia has huge potential in seaweed cultivation, though only a small part of the cultivation area is utilized. Seaweed also has a high added value for the production of bioplastics and biofuels.
"We are the second-largest seaweed producer in the world. We have a very large area that is suitable for seaweed cultivation, but we only utilize one percent of the area," he remarked.
He pointed out that Indonesia's seaweed production is still not optimal, with the seaweed cultivation area only having reached 102 thousand hectares and more than 60 percent of seaweed exports being in raw or dried form.
In addition, Hidayat stated that the maritime sector's contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP) is only 7.9 percent. Indonesia seeks to increase this figure to 15 percent by 2045.
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Translator: Shofi A, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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