Zanzibar’s Women Seaweed Farmers Face Waves and New Hope

Near the turquoise beaches of Zanzibar, groups of women can be seen wading through shallow waters, balancing woven baskets as they harvest the sea’s hidden treasure — seaweed. Their bright traditional dresses often draw the attention of tourists’ cameras, but behind the picture-perfect scenes lies a demanding and risky job that fuels one of the archipelago’s fastest-growing industries.

“I experience pain in my back, waist, and chest due to working in the sea,” said Mwanaisha Makame Simai, a seaweed farmer from the island. “Sometimes strong waves sweep you away. I have personally witnessed three cases of people drowning.”

Seaweed farming has long been part of life on the Tanzanian archipelago, but global demand for the product is now creating a fresh boom. Used widely in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries, seaweed provides thickening and stabilizing agents found in everything from toothpaste to ice cream — and even some sunscreens used by the tourists watching from the shore.

Booming Demand and Economic Promise

The industry’s revival has been fueled by private investment and donor support, turning seaweed into the third-largest contributor to Zanzibar’s economy after tourism and spices.
“Ten years ago, people thought you were crazy for working in seaweed,” said Klara Schade, director at a boutique seaweed farm and factory based in the coastal village of Paje. “Now it’s become a buzzword.”

The farm not only exports seaweed products but also offers guided tours, introducing visitors to the work behind the glossy photographs. The Zanzibari government has placed the sector at the center of its ‘blue economy’ strategy, which focuses on sustainable development of ocean and coastal resources.

In recent years, major international companies have partnered with conservation groups to invest in local seaweed farming, aiming to improve yields and farmer incomes. International nonprofits have also stepped in, supporting sustainable and safe farming practices as production expands.

According to government data, around 25,000 Zanzibari women are employed as seaweed farmers — a remarkable figure in a society where fewer than half of women are part of the formal workforce.

A Tough and Risky Livelihood

Despite the industry’s growth, daily life for most seaweed farmers remains difficult. The women spend hours under the harsh equatorial sun, bent over in shallow waters. Many report chronic back pain, muscle strain, and skin irritation from prolonged exposure to saltwater.

“There are health and safety challenges in this work,” said Simai, who earns about $50 a month to support her small family. “It’s not an easy job; it’s tiresome.”

Fellow farmer Pili Khalid Pandu, 43, said the conditions vary, but the physical toll is constant. “Sometimes you get stung by sea urchins, or your skin burns from the sun,” she said.

Adding to the challenge, climate change is pushing the farmers into deeper and riskier waters, where seaweed now grows better as ocean temperatures rise. “Women have to go farther out, and many don’t know how to swim,” said Mhando Waziri, a local project manager working on blue economy initiatives that include swimming lessons for seaweed farmers to reduce drowning accidents.

Building Local Value and Empowerment

The next goal for Zanzibar’s seaweed sector is to bring more of the value chain home — turning raw seaweed into finished products locally instead of exporting it cheaply abroad. Some local workshops have begun training women in cosmetics manufacturing, allowing them to earn higher incomes.

At a workshop in Paje, women transform seaweed into luxury skincare items, such as soaps and lotions. A single bottle of seaweed-based skin cream can sell for over $100, providing workers with significantly higher earnings compared to field labor.
“Empowerment is giving them the means and the options to continue further,” said Schade.

One such success story is Fauzia Abdalla Khamis, 45, who began as a farmer and now supervises production after more than a decade in the field.

Other local initiatives are helping women produce and market their own seaweed-based products, which can earn up to ten times more than selling unprocessed seaweed.

Still, not everyone feels included in the boom. “Most of the money ends up with those who have office jobs, rather than the hardworking farmers,” said Simai. “We need to benefit more from our work.”

With climate challenges mounting and global demand rising, Zanzibar’s seaweed industry stands at a crossroads — between traditional labor and modern opportunity. For thousands of women who have long battled waves and sun to make a living, the hope now is that the “blue economy” brings not just sustainability, but true empowerment and fair rewards.