An $8 million grant program has helped scale up production of the methane-inhibiting seaweed, Asparagopsis.
Methane from livestock digestion accounts for around 71 per cent of Australia’s agricultural emissions and 13 per cent of the country’s total emissions, according to the latest National Inventory Report.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy Group deputy secretary Matt Lowe said the Developing Australia’s Seaweed Farming Grant Program is expected to deliver growing economic returns over the next 30 years.
“It is reducing barriers to investment and supporting research expertise and capability of the nascent Australian seaweed industry,” Lowe said.
“The program is rapidly increasing the production of methane-inhibiting seaweed for the benefit of our growers, our consumers, our scientists and researchers and, ultimately, our planet.”
The two-year program has funded:
- The temporary establishment of a National Hatchery Network operating out of James Cook University in Queensland and the South Australian Research Development Institute. The network refined seaweed-production techniques and published guidance on cultivation, including a hatchery manual and technical reports.
- Ten research, development and extension projects to accelerate seaweed production. Projects focused on market analysis and economic modelling, including identifying carbon credit schemes, value-chain innovation, industry governance and online portals and databases to improve connections between industry and researchers.
- Support for the 2025 Seagriculture Asia-Pacific conference in Adelaide, hosted by the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance, and an industry-led visit to South Korea’s seaweed production facilities. Both activities helped the Australian seaweed industry make international connections to enhance collaboration.
The grant program, which began in June 2023, was delivered by the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.
“The program delivered research and development outcomes and, importantly, built a strong foundation for the seaweed industry that will benefit the economy, climate, farmers and communities across Australia into the future,” Lowe said.