Dilip Kumar Jha
Biography
He is a Scientist-F and Officer-in-Charge at the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, based in Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. With 26 years of research experience, he specializes in coastal area management, marine ecology, mariculture, and geospatial modelling.He earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Management from Bharathidasan University and has published over 70 research papers in peer-reviewed national and international journals. He has actively contributed to the academic community by presenting approximately 35 papers at various conferences, workshops, and seminars.
Research Interest
As a Team Leader or Co-Leader, Dr. Jha has successfully completed around 90 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) projects. He has also mentored 25 project students from different universities and provided training in ArcGIS in collaboration with ESRI India. Additionally, he is a PADI-certified open-water diver.
Abstract
Seaweed Farming: An Innovative Approach for Sustainable Management
The Successful Establishment of Commercial Seaweed Farming in the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands requires the Identification and Availability of wild seeds from commercially viable species in the necessary quantities for initial seed bank development. Currently, no industry is engaged in seaweed-related processing or production activities in the region, highlighting the need for start-up initiatives and market development. Public awareness campaigns should be conducted to educate local communities on the benefits and applications of seaweed culture. This study confirms the technical feasibility of commercial seaweed farming in the A&N Islands, emphasizing the importance of utilizing local wild seaweed stocks for seedling production and seed bank establishment at designated sites. A GIS-based spatial analysis, aligned with FAO guidelines for essential environmental variables, has been employed to delineate suitable areas for seaweed farming. The study employs a multi-criteria evaluation technique, with results highly influenced by the assigned weightage, offering opportunities for further refinement and data integration within the GIS platform. A scoring system (1–3) was applied to assess suitability, categorizing areas as highly suitable for industrial farming (3—green), suitable for community farming (2—yellow), and least suitable (1—blue). These findings provide a strategic framework for the sustainable development of seaweed farming in the tropical region.
