Seaweed and green mussels are being recognised as an important marine resource around the world, can play a vital part in Bangladesh's economy if they are properly planned and commercially developed.
We should emphasise to popularise seaweed and green mussel as a food source and consider those as a viable economic crop in the blue economy initiative. Seaweed and green mussel farming could be one of the alternate sources of income for fishing community, said the speakers.
WorldFish Bangladesh organised the event in the Seagull hotel in Cox's Bazar under its USAID-funded ECOFISH II activity.
The event was attended by seaweed farmers, traders, consumers, processors, chefs, academicians, practitioners, researchers, and private sector, government officials, and development practitioners.
Speakers at the event also stressed the need to harness seaweed’s potential.
The event's chief guest was Emeritus Prof Dr Md Abdus Sattar Mandal, former vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University, and member of the Planning Commission of Bangladesh. He called for the formation of a sea-centric food security forum to ensure food and nutrition security and proper utilization of marine resources.
Prof Dr Md Abdul Wahab, team leader, ECOFISH II, WorldFish Bangladesh, presided over the programme, according to a statement.
Captain M Minarul Hoque, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Maritime Research and Development, Ashraful Haque, Project Management Specialist of USAID Bangladesh; Dr Md Sharif Uddin, Director (Marine), Department of Fisheries attended in the event as the special guests.
Dr Md Asaduzzaman, assistant professor of Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, professor and chairman, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Dr Mostafa Ali Reza Hossain, professor of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Zahanara Islam, Chairman, Zahanara Green Agro, addressed in the event.