Today’s seaweed industry is characterized by strong growth, large regional differences, and high species concentration. Seaweed can be instrumental in achieving many of the SDGs and women play leading roles in the seaweed sector, throughout the value chain. However, despite the significant presence of women in seaweed production and trade, especially in developing countries, there is little to no official reporting on women’s labor force participation in the seaweed industry, and policy measures are typically not gender inclusive.
This paper analyzes the multifaceted relationship between seaweed and women, through lenses of food security, environmental sustainability, trade, and economic development. Using recent data, peer-reviewed literature, and findings from semi-structured interviews with selected seaweed stakeholders, it reviews numerous challenges that affect women’s effective participation in the sector and identifies multiple ways in which seaweed can support and enhance women’s economic empowerment, especially in developing countries.