Part 4/12:
Engaging with local fishermen and seaweed farmers provided crucial insights. The seaweed farms, thriving over a 45-day cycle, serve as a significant income source, though they face threats from seasonal heavy rains and seaweed diseases like bleaching. Community members expressed interest in innovations that could increase yields and diversify income, such as floating fish farms integrated with seaweed cultivation.
However, existing practices are manual and labor-intensive, with fishermen spending early mornings tending to their floating lines. These traditional methods reveal opportunities for technological improvements—more resilient, scalable, and efficient solutions that respect the community's socio-economic realities.