Members of the AMMACHI Labs Ocean Farming team recently returned to the Andhra Pradesh coast to engage with coastal communities and government partners, aiming to strengthen skill-building, training, and technical support around women-led seaweed cultivation.
On January 4th, the team visited Mangamaripeta, where they interacted with women Self-Help Group (SHG) members and fishermen involved in ongoing seaweed farming using HDPE rafts, supported by the State Fisheries Department and the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). These discussions provided valuable insights into current practices, livelihood outcomes, and areas where additional support and training could help women enhance their work.
The team then visited Tantadi Village for field interactions and a community meeting focused on understanding seaweed cultivation practices, training needs, and site suitability. Thirteen women and eight men participated in the discussion, which was followed by interactions with the Sarpanch, the Fisheries Coordinator, an FDP–DRDA representative, and the Community Coordinator. Water samples were collected for quality testing, and initial steps were taken to identify women interested in upcoming training programs.
On January 5th, the team attended a seaweed cultivation inauguration programme organized by the Fisheries Department and CMFRI, during which HDPE rafts were installed in the ocean in the presence of MLA Sri Sundarapu Vijayakumar and District Collector Smt. Vijayakrishna. The team engaged with district officials, DRDA representatives, and fisheries officers during the programme. Following this, PD–DRDA Smt. Sachi Devi facilitated a meeting with local women to share information about the start of training programs and next steps for participation.
Across both days, the focus of AMMACHI Labs remained on understanding community realities, learning from existing initiatives, and identifying ways to support women in building skills, confidence, and sustainable livelihoods through seaweed cultivation.
The initiative contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
This project is implemented by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham with support from Esri and the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP).
