As aquaculture expands and the global demand for sustainable feed ingredients intensifies, Artemia (brine shrimp) is re-emerging as a strategic asset across the aquatic food value chain. This abstract synthesizes recent findings from a global investment-focused study funded by the World Bank and PROBLUE, highlighting Artemia’s untapped potential in both traditional and novel markets.
Artemia offers a promising and underused alternative to fishmeal and soy, especially in regions like Africa and Asia that face saline land constraints and rely heavily on imported feed ingredients. Artemia offers a high-protein, digestible feed solution that is compatible with circular, climate-smart agricultural models. Beyond feed, its use in human nutrition is gaining traction, with applications in fortified foods, snacks, and alternative protein products, particularly in climate-vulnerable and food-insecure regions.
The study presents diverse business models from China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Bangladesh, demonstrating scalable Artemia farming systems integrated with solar salt operations or aquaculture. Profit margins range from 30% to 90%, depending on the level of processing, vertical integration, and market orientation. Investment viability is strengthened by Artemia’s alignment with blue economy objectives, land rehabilitation, and gender-inclusive employment opportunities.
However, the sector’s growth is constrained by biosecurity risks, policy gaps, certification challenges, and exposure to environmental shocks. Addressing these barriers requires coordinated action across governance, technology, and finance.
To catalyze scale, a three-pronged investment roadmap is proposed: (1) integrated Artemia-salt-aquaculture systems, (2) biomass-to-feed innovation hubs, and (3) nutrition-sensitive Artemia food models. These entry points are supported by cross-cutting enablers including blended finance, stakeholder platforms, regulatory anchoring, and gender-responsive approaches.
This presentation will share strategic insights into emerging markets, profitability benchmarks, and scaling conditions, positioning Artemia not only as a technical solution but as a transformative investment opportunity for sustainable aquaculture, food security, and coastal livelihoods.