From coastal livelihoods to blue-economy innovation: The rise, growth, and strategic road map of Sri Lanka’s seaweed sector

Seaweed cultivation is emerging as one of the most promising blue-economy industries in Sri Lanka, offering a unique combination of livelihood generation, climate resilience, export diversification, and marine environmental sustainability. This article traces the transition of Sri Lanka’s seaweed sector from donor-led humanitarian livelihood projects to a highly profitable, biotechnology-supported commercial value chain.

Focusing on Kappaphycus alvarezii, field monitoring conducted between 2023 and 2025 in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Kalpitiya demonstrates daily growth rates of 4.2%–4.6%, attractive household margins and strong women’s cooperative participation. The article examines biotechnology innovations such as micropropagation and tissue culture, identifies structural barriers, and outlines a policy road map to scale national production from 5,000 tonnes in 2025 to 25,000 tonnes annually by 2030.