Coast 4C connects investment in coastal agriculture with conservation through regenerative seaweed farming. This approach brings benefits to areas critical to Earthshot’s mission: communities, conservation, commerce and climate.
You may be surprised to find seaweed is an important ingredient in many everyday products including skin care, toothpaste and even dog food. And demand is growing for seaweed as a sustainable alternative to plastic. But this also requires a more efficient, regenerative and sustainable supply chain.
This under-resourced sector sees little diversified investment and often relies on marine conservation grants. Many seaweed farmers also fish and sell their catch to feed their families, which leaves their seaweed crops vulnerable to damage, theft, and disease.
In 2020 co-founders Amado “Madz” Blanco and Nicholas Hill set out to focus more investment into the seaweed farming with the inspiring idea behind Coast 4C.
Madz originally worked in the marine not-for-profit space before becoming director of Project Seahorse Foundation for Marine Conservation in the Philippines in 2003. Nicholas Hill came there to do his PhD research on seaweed and small-scale reefs, and sustainable seaweed farming.
Working with smallholder seaweed farmers/fishers and buyers, they connect conservation with regenerative coastal agriculture to generate a higher quality seaweed products with embedded impact. Coast 4C unlocks regenerative seaweed farming through finance packages and support with food to relieve the pressure to make money from fishing.
Linked to community-based Marine Protected Areas (known as iMPAs, a community model), they protect and regenerate ocean habitats from damage by human activities. Helping communities get zoned seaweed-growing areas legally assigned as iMPAs supports security of tenure for the farmers and de-risks seaweed farming for smallholder producers.
Coast 4C sets up co-operatives to train seaweed farmers supported by government agencies. This means communities can establish fully operational regenerative seaweed farms in just three years. Coast 4C pays a premium for regenerated seaweed crops to encourage farmers to adopt regenerative practices.
Buyers also benefit from more reliable, higher quality and traceable red seaweed. This species differs to those used by previous finalists and the extracted carrageenan is ideal for commercial use.
Despite limited investment, Coast 4C’s impact metrics are promising, with almost 6,000 hectares of coastal waters protected in iMPAs – an average increase in MPA size of 4,500%. The team of 30 farming system development specialists, field technicians and coordinators have trained 680 farmers, with more than 250 of these farmers receiving farm input packages this year to support their focus on seaweed farming. 200 of these are already growing seaweed, directly supporting 1,000 people. As a result, Coast 4C has sold 512 tonnes of raw dried seaweed, raising $225,000 in revenue in early 2024.
Nicholas Hill, Co-Founder and CEO of Coast4C
Coast 4C’s is funded through grants from Ocean Risk Alliance (ORRAA) and EY’s TRANSFORM Initiative, and two angel investors. They expect to hit over $2.8 million revenue this year.
Starting in the Philippines, expansion plans include Southeast Asia and Indonesia. They are also exploring driving growth through a social franchise model and partnering with international brands who will increasingly need to demonstrate positive impact farmers’ livelihoods.
By 2027, they aim to protect over 40,000 hectares of coastal waters in 50 iMPAs and 160,000 hectares in 200 iMPAs by 2030. This will involve putting 16,250 ‘farm input packages’ in place which will positively affect 87,000 people’s lives. It will also produce 660,000 tonnes of seaweed each year, with over 435,000 people benefiting indirectly.
