How The Seaweed Company is using the strength of the sea to support our land
Intensive agriculture has had devastating impacts on our soils and is a large source of greenhouse gas emissions. Over the last century, the use of synthetic fertilisers has degraded both soils and the surrounding environment. In today’s conventional farming approach, soils are experiencing increased losses of carbon, biodiversity, nutrients and decreased ability to retain new carbon. Climate change is causing extreme cold, hot, wet and dry conditions which has a direct impact on the soil, plants and crop yield. Estimations by the UN FAO suggest that there is approximately 60 years of fertile soil left, while agriculture and global food demand is ever increasing due to an increasing population.
Here at The Seaweed Company, we are devoted to addressing these challenges. We have developed a product range with a fully organic bio-stimulant based on seaweed extract. We call it TopHealth Plants (THP), an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel-based fertilisers and pesticides.
TopHealth Plants uses the strength of the sea to support our land and reduce the use of fertiliser and the need for pesticides. The yield of crops on farmland is directly influenced by nutrient content and availability in the soil. Therefore, THP focuses on improving these factors. THP contains a unique blend of different natural biostimulants, which together results in soil enhancement and optimal plant growth.
More specifically, the impacts of THP include:
🌱 Improvement in the quality of soil by absorbing up to 25% more carbon, holding double the amount of water and enriching the soil with nutrients.
🌱 More resistant plants against biotic and abiotic stresses, therefore having the ability to grow faster and have longer, stronger roots.
🌱 THP is 100% safe — you can even drink it! (not leisurely, but our ‘Sea’EO has put it to the test, check it out here).
So far, we’ve started an exciting pilot with Swinkels Family Brewers where barley fields were fertilised with our THP product. Here is a photo of the difference after 3 weeks where early ripening of barley kernels with application of THP can be observed.
To learn more about our collaboration with Swinkels, click here.
In another trial with a potato farmer, this is what we can share so far as we wait for the results after harvest. This is the difference after 3 weeks of THP application, can you guess which crop received the THP product?
The answer is the image on the right — look at those luscious long roots!
We will keep you updated with the rest of the trial results so hit the follow and subscribe button on the top of this page and follow The Seaweed Company on LinkedIn.
Here are some other promising results we can share*
We will keep you up to date as trials continue to progress.
Now that we have an idea of what the benefits are on the environment, let’s explore the benefits farmers will have by using THP →
Farmers can expect to see:
🌱 Increases in crop yields (amount, size and quality)
🌱 Reduced cost of fertiliser
🌱 Reduced use of pesticides and therefore reduced cost of pesticides
🌱 Reduced use of water
🌱 Soil quality improvements
🌱 Organic premium
🌱 Contributing to sustainable agriculture
The benefits still don’t end there. When seaweed grows, it absorbs carbon dioxide, nitrogen and phosphorus. This means growing seaweed helps to regenerate local ocean ecosystems. Seaweed requires no inputs, including land, fresh water or fertiliser. Not only is growing seaweed environmentally friendly, but it can also promote social inclusivity by providing new economic activities to coastal communities. To learn more about the various other uses of seaweed, read our article on Medium: Seaweed creating a sea of opportunities.
The Seaweed Company addresses the challenges the agricultural industry faces through our THP product. However, our focus is not only the end products and their benefits, but the raw materials that go into that product, the sustainability across the whole supply chain and the empowerment and heavy involvement of local coastal communities along the way. We also actively work towards contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals which you can learn all about here.
Join us on our journey of regenerating both our ocean and land ecosystems. If you know a farmer that wants to use a natural bio-stimulant and move towards regenerative agriculture — send them our way!
About The Seaweed Company
The Seaweed Company was founded in 2018 and specializes in the development of high value products for humans, animals, soils, and plants and in the cultivation of traceable seaweed species at commercial scale. The Seaweed Company has its own seaweed production locations in Ireland, Morocco, India and The Netherlands and has developed products that contribute to sustainable agriculture. The Seaweed Company is actively involved with innovative research around applications in the medical field (Alzheimer and diabetes), functional food (alternative proteins), sustainable materials (natural composites) and sustainable seaweed cultivation methodologies. The Seaweed Company has a strong focus on Blue Farming, where we use the blue strength of the sea to support our land. Our TopHealth Plants product is an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel based fertilisers and pesticides.
