Tech for a Thriving Blue Economy: KOLTIVA Powering Coast 4C's Regenerative Seaweed Farming
- Gusi Ayu Putri Chandrika Sari
- Jun 5
- 8 min read
Editor's Note: In partnership with Coast 4C, this joint edition explores how KOLTIVA's technology is powering regenerative seaweed farming — featuring insights from Sarah Harding, our Aquatic Resource and Standards Specialist, and Geraldine Johns-Putra, Chief Value Officer of Coast 4C.
Executive Summaries:
Global seaweed farming, valued at $16.7 billion, presents a climate-resilient, low-emission alternative to conventional agriculture. Unlike conventional food systems that consume 70% of freshwater and degrade 80% of land, seaweed requires no land or freshwater, and actively restores marine health (Nature.org, 2024).
286 seaweed farmers and 15+ Community-Managed Savings and Credit Associations have been empowered through KOLTIVA and Coast 4C’s tech-enabled transformation of the blue economy in the Philippines, leveraging traceability, financial inclusion, and real-time data tools to digitize and strengthen the seaweed supply chain.
A proven, scalable model for inclusive and data-driven blue economies — the KOLTIVA and Coast 4C partnership goes beyond traceability to enable real-time monitoring, climate-smart decisions, and circular income flows. Localized dashboards track poverty levels, stock, and transactions, demonstrating that ocean restoration and economic empowerment can advance together.
As our planet confronts escalating climate and biodiversity crises, marine ecosystems are under severe threat from rising sea surface temperatures, widespread pollution, and accelerating biodiversity loss, challenges that endanger the livelihoods and food security of more than three billion people who depend on the ocean.
Despite these mounting pressures, the ocean remains vital to global sustainability. Covering 71% of the Earth’s surface and making up 90% of the biosphere (OECD, 2025), the ocean urgently needs solutions that can restore its health while supporting the communities that depend on it. Among the most promising nature-based solutions is a humble yet powerful marine resource: seaweed.
Table of Index:
Seaweed: A Nature-Based Solution for Ocean Health and Coastal Livelihoods
Seaweed is rapidly gaining global recognition for its extraordinary climate mitigation potential and ecological benefits. It enhances biodiversity and grows without the need for fertilizers, freshwater, or arable land. As both a food and raw material, it offers a sustainable alternative to more carbon-intensive agricultural systems. Seaweed also provides habitat and food for marine species, cleans coastal waters by absorbing excess nutrients, and mitigates ocean acidification by drawing down carbon dioxide, helping to protect vulnerable shellfish and marine biodiversity (Aquarium of the Pacific, n.d.). The development of new technologies also sees it growing as a biofuel alternative to fossil fuels (Zhao et al., 2022) and packaging alternative to plastics (Lim et al., 2021).
Amid the escalating climate and biodiversity crises, seaweed is emerging as a powerful ocean-positive solution.
When cultivated responsibly, it serves as a nutritious, climate-resilient alternative to conventional agriculture while enhancing ocean health and strengthening the livelihoods of coastal communities. Compared to global food systems, which consume 70% of freshwater, degrade 80% of land, and contribute a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, seaweed farming leaves a near-zero environmental footprint and requires no land or freshwater to grow (Nature.org, 2024).
With the global seaweed market now valued at $16.7 billion (Nature.org, 2024), the seaweed market is rapidly expanding, especially in coastal regions eager to participate in the blue economy, a model that envisions sustainable ocean-based economic development.
But cultivating seaweed alone is not enough. For the blue economy to thrive, it must be underpinned by systems of traceability, financial inclusion, and data transparency. That’s precisely where the collaboration between Coast 4C and KOLTIVA is making an impact across the Philippines: a transformative, tech-enabled approach to seaweed farming that restores ocean health while empowering the communities who depend on it.
A Regenerative Vision Meets Digital Innovation to Achieve a Thriving Blue Economy
Since 2021, Coast 4C, an impact-driven enterprise scaling responsible seaweed production while investing in livelihood building and ocean protection, has partnered with KOLTIVA to digitize and strengthen the seaweed supply chain in the Philippines. Coast 4C’s mission is to build the largest supply of responsible seaweed in the world, and it aims to do this through its groundbreaking GROW programme that operates alongside smallholder farmers. Starting in Bohol and expanding to Iloilo and Southern Leyte, the collaboration aims to unlock the full potential of regenerative seaweed farming while creating value from ocean plastic and inclusive trade models.
With a bold vision to build resilient coastal ecosystems, restore ocean health, and create prosperity through circular economies, Coast 4C partnered with KOLTIVA as one of its key digital transformation collaborators. Together, we are leveraging technology to make seaweed farming transparent, traceable, and sustainable from end to end-supporting Coast 4C’s mission with integrated solutions that enhance supply chain visibility, financial inclusion, and responsible sourcing.
With long-standing experience in seascapes since 2018, KOLTIVA brought its proven track record in traceability and inclusive supply chains to the seaweed sector. A customized suite of digital tools was introduced, designed specifically for smallholder seaweed farmers and community-based traders, establishing a fully integrated, end-to-end digital ecosystem. Through on-the-ground implementation, training, and system support, this collaboration is enabling a data-driven, inclusive, and regenerative model for seaweed aquaculture, advancing both ecological restoration and economic empowerment in the blue economy.
Our Integrated Platforms: Tech Solutions Tailored to Coastal Realities
Our integrated platforms, KoltiTrace MIS, FarmXtension, FarmGate, FarmRetail, and KoltiPay, enable seamless data collection, end-to-end transaction traceability, and inclusive financial services across the entire supply chain.
Field-Based Data Collection Tool, KoltiTrace FarmXtension
Used by Coast 4C’s field teams in three provinces, this mobile app enables offline collection of farmer profiles, household data, Poverty Probability Index (PPI) surveys, farm practices, and environmental indicators. The collected data is integrated into dynamic dashboards to monitor project impact and guide data-driven decision-making.
Transaction Traceability Application, KoltiTrace FarmGate
Deployed by Coast4C warehouse teams and community-based representatives affiliated with local Community-Managed Savings and Credit Associations (CoMSCAs), who serve as community-embedded traders collecting seaweed from farmers, the platform captures each transaction ensuring complete traceability, financial transparency, and accountability at every point of sale. This system strengthens supply chain trust and upholds the integrity of farmer-to-buyer transactions.
Agri-Input Management App, KoltiTrace FarmRetail
This platform streamlines and digitizes the distribution of key farm inputs, from high-quality nursery-grown seedlings to ropes, floaters (plastic bottles), and ties. By enabling standardized cost tracking, real-time inventory oversight, and streamlined reporting, KoltiTrace FarmRetail enhances operational efficiency and transparency in the upstream supply chain.
Responsible Financial Services Features
A financial ledger dashboard tracks fund disbursements for the provision of funds for buying seaweed to the community-based Community-Managed Savings and Credit Associations (COMSCAs). This digital ledger enhances transparency and ensures that purchasing funds are properly utilized to buy seaweed directly from farmers.
Loan Management, Koltipay
The KoltiPay loan management dashboard tracks the provision of farm input packages from the creation of the microfinance package to the delivery of the inputs to the farmers and repayment of the amounts loaned through the sale of raw dried seaweed back to Coast 4C. The KoltiPay Platform enhances recording of loan performance, helps establish risk-and-return ratios and return on investment performance.
Measurable Impact with Communities at the Core
Geraldine Johns-Putra, Chief Value Officer of Coast 4C, said, "Our GROW programme works hand in hand with smallholder farmers, boosting their opportunities through microfinance, supplying high-quality seedlings, sustainable equipment and science-backed methodologies, and paying farmers a fair price for regenerative seaweed harvested through these joint efforts. Koltiva’s tools allow us to track all the steps in this chain, inspiring us to reach further on our digital transformation journey, to create a scalable, efficient, fully data-driven model for delivering impact that will be a one-of-a-kind in the world of seaweed farming.”
At KOLTIVA, our commitment to putting communities first drives every innovation we bring to the aquaculture sector. This partnership with Coast 4C transcends technology; it's about fostering a fair, circular economy that empowers coastal communities and supports ocean restoration.
Today, 286 seaweed farmers in Coast 4C’s GROW programme are actively registered on KoltiTrace FarmXtension, while more than 15 CoMSCAs leverage KoltiTrace FarmGate to facilitate transparent and accountable transactions. Our tailored dashboards provide critical insights into poverty metrics, stock levels, and financial flows, significantly enhancing visibility and trust across the entire supply chain.
“What began as a collaboration to bring transparency and efficiency to community-based seaweed trading has evolved into a comprehensive digital ecosystem supporting traceability, marketplace transactions, financial inclusion, and sustainable coastal livelihoods,” said Sarah Harding, Aquatic Resource and Standards Specialist, KOLTIVA.
Honoring World Oceans Day 2025
This World Oceans Day, under the theme “WONDER: Sustaining What Sustains Us”, we are reminded that the future of our planet depends on bold, collective action — from grassroots communities to national governments, from social enterprises to global corporations. This movement is already in motion.
The partnership between Coast 4C and KOLTIVA exemplifies how the blue economy is shifting from concept to reality. By combining regenerative seaweed farming with robust traceability technology, they are building scalable, inclusive systems that protect marine ecosystems while creating dignified livelihoods for coastal communities. This model proves that restoring ocean ecosystems can go hand in hand with climate action, social equity, and economic growth. Here's how it works:
Nature-based solutions like seaweed farming replace carbon intensive crops and regenerate biodiversity.
Digital traceability platforms ensure supply chain integrity, creating trust from harvest to global market.
Community-led networks empower local actors as stewards of the sea, turning small-scale fishers and farmers into climate champions.
In an era of accelerating climate risks, this isn't charity. It's smart economics. Seaweed is one of the fastest-growing biomasses on Earth. With the right systems in place, it can anchor a new kind of ocean economy — one that is restorative, transparent, and equitable by design.
The ocean holds vast, untapped potential — and with seaweed and software, Coast 4C and KOLTIVA are helping to unlock it.
For the coastal communities of today, and the generations to come.
Resources:
Zhao, Y., Bourgougnon, N., Lanoisellé, J.-L., & Lendormi, T. (2022). Biofuel Production from Seaweeds: A Comprehensive Review. Energies, 15(24), 9395. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249395
Lim, C., Yusoff, S., Ng, C.G., Lim, P.E., Ching, Y.C. Bioplastic made from seaweed polysaccharides with green production methods,Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 9 (5), 2021 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105895.
Aquarium of the Pacific. (n.d.). Seaweed. Seafood for the Future. https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/seafoodfuture/seaweed
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2025). The ocean economy to 2050. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2025/03/the-ocean-economy-to-2050_e3f6a132.html
PLOS. (2024). Figure 1. PLOS Sustainability and Transformation. https://journals.plos.org/sustainabilitytransformation/article/figure?id=10.1371/journal.pstr.0000042.g001
The Nature Conservancy. (2024). Seaweed: A powerful nature-based climate solution. https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-insights/perspectives/blue-carbon-seaweed-nature-based-climate-solution/
Thomas, L., Tarazona, E., Caparrós, A., Ridler, N., & Duarte, C. M. (2024). Can seaweed farming play a role in transforming the global food system? PLOS Sustainability and Transformation, 1(4), e0000042. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pstr.0000042
Author from KOLTIVA: Gusi Ayu Putri Chandrika Sari, Social Media Officer, KOLTIVA
Co-Author from Coast 4C: Geraldine Johns-Putra, Chief Value Officer, Coast 4C
Subject Matter Expert from KOLTIVA: Sarah Harding, Aquatic Resource and Standards Specialist, KOLTIVA
Sarah Harding has over 12 years of hands-on involvement across the seafood industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science with a major in Aquaculture, and a Master’s degree in Fisheries Resource Management. Sarah’s diverse career spans aquaculture production, water quality monitoring, and community-based work in remote regions, particularly alongside Indigenous groups. She has also contributed to wild fishery enhancement efforts, including restocking programs for striped bass and Atlantic salmon. Currently, Sarah serves as the Aquatic Resources Specialist at Koltiva, providing the technical guidance and strategic input across seascape initiatives, driving sustainable and inclusive practices within aquatic supply chains.
Geraldine Johns-Putra is a lawyer with over 25 years’ experience advising on corporate transactions, governance, modern slavery and impact investment. She is currently Chief Value Officer at Coast 4C - an award-winning impact enterprise championing regenerative seaweed farming and coastal livelihoods - leading its legal, compliance, and digital transformation programmes. She has worked extensively across Australia, Greater China and Southeast Asia. Previously a partner at one of Australia's largest law firms, she now runs her own law practice supporting start-ups and for-purpose organisations. She is a Deputy Chancellor of Monash University and, as a long-time advocate for ethical business practices, sits on the Regional Standards Advisory Group for B Lab - the non-profit responsible for B Corporations.
Gusi Ayu Putri Chandrika Sari combines her expertise in digital marketing and social media with a deep commitment to sustainability, supported by over eight years of experience in communications. Her work focuses on crafting impactful narratives that connect technology, agriculture, and environmental responsibility. She is driven by a passion for promoting sustainable practices through compelling, audience-focused content across a variety of digital platforms.
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