Coast 4C
Organization Details
Coast 4C is building the world's largest supply of quality, traceable and regenerative seaweed to meet the insatiable demand from responsible global brands. We partner with smallholder seaweed farmers to meet the needs in both established markets and in emerging food, feed, fertilizers, health and biopolymer markets where seaweed is being developed as an alternative to petrochemical inputs.
Impact Story
Coast 4C Coast 4C partners with marginalised smallholder seaweed farmers living in marine biodiversity hotspots in the tropics to build vibrant and resilient blue economies that drive impact across the 4Cs of Community, Commerce, Conservation and Climate. We leverage seaweed farming to empower coastal communities to increase protection of coastal waters and restore marine biodiversity in the places where it matters most whilst lifting them out of poverty and increasing resilience. In turn, this seaweed provides a powerful social and ecological story for responsible global brands. The majority of marine biodiversity lives in tropical coastal waters, and this is also where there is the highest human dependence on the ocean. Yet coastal waters are highly vulnerable to climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and in the Philippines these communities have the highest rates of poverty of any sector. Seaweed can help to reduce dependence on petrochemicals whilst restoring the ocean. We work with a growing network of 650 smallholder seaweed farmers, and have increased marine protection in target bayscapes from <1% to 17.8% by integrating seaweed farming in improved marine protection utilising our “iMPA” approach.