Two years ago, they were afraid to enter the sea. Today, women on the coast of Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district are confident in seaweed farming as a business to earn for their families. Amrita University, through AMMACHI Labs and the Center for Women Empowerment and Gender Equality (CWEGE), continues to transform their lives with its Blue is the New Pink initiative.
Since 2023, over 10,000 kg of seaweed have been harvested from two farms in Olaikuda and Thirupalikudi villages in Ramanathapuram, generating a total income of ₹193,960 for participants. This flagship campaign redefines the role of women in marine conservation and sustainable livelihoods, positioning them as key drivers of climate resilience and economic independence.
As part of its mission, we recently distributed essential seaweed farming equipment to 115 women across five villages in Ramanathapuram—Sambai, Olaikuda, Thirupalikudi, Thondi, and Soliyakudi.
The initiative is under the Seaweed Cultivation Training Project launched in 2023, which aims to provide women with the skills, tools, and market access needed to establish eco-friendly marine enterprises.
With over 64 women already trained in the region, the work is making tangible progress. This month, several women successfully harvested and processed over 1,500 kg of cultivated seaweed, securing buyers from marine-based industries and organic product manufacturers.
The latest distribution events, held on March 8, 9, and 14, provided life jackets, underwater goggles, fishnets, ropes, knives, and other essential tools to improve safety and efficiency.
Mr Kartikraja, Field Inspector from the Department of Fisheries, Ramanathapuram, praised the initiative. He emphasised that while government schemes generally provide farming equipment like rafts, this work goes a step further by including vital safety materials such as life jackets and protective knives.
The events were inaugurated by Dr Srividya Sheshadri, Associate Director of CWEGE and facilitated by Bri Lakshmi, Amrita Vidyalayam Manager, our school for classes 1 to 12 in Ramanathapuram. Field Coordinator Thirumurugan, along with Bri Amrita, Bhanu, and Aswathi from AMMACHI Labs also played a crucial role.
Building on previous successes, including a record-breaking single harvest of 1,290 kg in April 2024, the seaweed cultivation project reinforces Amrita University’s commitment to women’s empowerment, ocean conservation, and economic resilience.
The focus of this initiative is the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, a region renowned for its exceptional marine biodiversity. The project aims to empower coastal communities—especially women—by aligning their livelihoods with sustainable seaweed cultivation practices that complement essential marine conservation efforts.
A key component is the restoration of seagrass ecosystems, which act as powerful carbon sinks, playing a crucial role in climate change mitigation while providing critical feeding habitats for the endangered Dugongs.
Equipping women with the tools and knowledge to engage in these sustainable practices, Blue is the New Pink aims to turn them into agents of change—transforming both their lives and the ecological health of the oceans.
This highlights the synergy between gender equality and environmental stewardship, positioning women at the forefront of climate solutions and marine biodiversity preservation.
As global demand for seaweed-based products continues to grow, it not only secures financial independence for them, but also promotes sustainable marine farming practices for a greener future.
The project has also received a prestigious grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Forestry, Govt of India, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
It is being executed through The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a research institute in New Delhi that specialises in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development, and implemented by Amrita University.
