Seagriculture Speaker

Oscar I Mukiri is the Director of Mwani Africa. He will be traveling from Kenya, East Africa to share his story of Seaweed success. Oscar has an interesting back-story that started him on his Seaweed journey 25 years ago. As a survivor of a bombing of the US embassy, in Nairobi, Kenya. Oscar turned to Ocean Therapies to help in his recovery. 

In his words 'I found healing in seaweed, and realized that with commitment and passion, I could use the amazing power of the Ocean to support and empower local communities while protecting the environment.'

Oscar has traveled extensively across Africa, Asia, and now brings his story to the US. He draws on the practice of his brethren at home and the knowledge of those he meets on his travels, to develop localized methods for seaweed cultivation and innovative methods of nearshore processing..  increasing the volume and value of the outputs for multiple applications. 

This expertise provides systems that are not just commercially sound, but socially and environmentally beneficial. Oscar is constantly learning, underscoring his position as a leader in the emerging global seaweed sector.

Company info: 

Mwani Africa is a leading processor of seaweed in Kenya, upcycling algae blooms, incorporating native & cultivated seaweed and other ingredients into value-added products. We supply a blend of specific seaweed compounds to meet increasing local commercial demands in food, feed and fertilisers.

Mwani Africa innovative solutions offer a range of benefits, from beach rehabilitation reducing carbon emissions & promoting biodiversity, protecting coastlines from erosion, facilitating cultivation of high-value seaweed empowering women and youth, while offering businesses leverage to offset their carbon emissions.

We are assisting research into, offshore deep ocean seaweed farming, a model that seeks to transform fishers into Ocean farmers.

Today, Mwani Africa is a community impact company facilitating the share in value of seaweed, to support a healthier environment and stronger local economy.

Presentation:

The Coastal people of Kenya, Tanzania, along the Coast to northern Mozambique (central East Africa on the equator) are primarily first nation ethnic groups who's culture is defined by fishing and influenced by sea-faring Arab merchants, centuries ago.

Oscar will take us on a short historic journey since the introduction of commercial seaweed production in Kenya, by extension East Africa and how the communities embraced it. 

He'll outline the transformation of local smallholder communities, drawing focus to the fact that the backbone of Seaweed farming in Kenya, is the smallholder women. 

In his presentation, Oscar will outline contrasts and similarities observed between Seaweed farmers of different African countries, from his continental travels. 

He'll sum up with what mutually beneficial potential lies ahead, for businesses and institutions in the West with the communities. Conclusions derived from American and European Seaweed based meetings and programs, he's been privy to and personal experiences in the marine Institute and farms in China, currently the largest Seaweed farmers in the world.