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Book (stand-alone)Spirulina: a livehood and a business venture 2011
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No results found.Spirulina is a micro-algae and as such has been growing naturally in our environment for millions of years, it is a tough plant able to withstand harsh growing conditions, in fact the micro-algae cell never really dies it goes dormant when weather conditions are not favourable, and as soon as these change and the environment is once again suitable for growth, spirulina begins growing and reproducing again. Naturally growing spirulina can be found in high alkaline lakes and in general it is said that where flamingos are, spirulina is sure to be found. The Mexicans where the first to discover its wonderful health properties and in the 16th Century the Aztecs around Lake Texcoco were known to feature it on their dinner tables. In the 1940’s a French phycologist discovered spirulina to be growing in Africa; Lake Chad and the lakes of the Rift Valley in Eastern Africa were the main areas where spirulina thrived. The Kenembus tribe of Chad harvest the algae from the lake and dry it in the su n in a cake shape form, which is locally called “dihe”. This is sold to the markets and has become a staple diet for some of the communities living around Lake Chad. In a study on the correlation between poverty and malnutrition 10 countries were taken as examples. Of those 10 countries 9 were found to have a direct link between poverty and malnutrition – Chad was the only country that was poor but had no malnutrition. Modern day technology allows us to grow spirulina in man-made machines called Photo Bio-Reactors (PBR) – these machines are ideal to grow the algae in conditions where the natural habitat would otherwise not permit the cell to normally grow. Although briefly mentioned in this study PBRs are not ideal to grow and harvest spirulina in the ESA-IO region for primarily two reasons. Firstly the initial start-up costs are too high – and although most PBRs promise high yields in micro-algae production in reality only some are able to achieve those promises. Secondly most of the region is favourable to spirulina growth without the use of expensive machines and it can be cultured and harvested fairly easily in man-made basins and ponds. Spirulina is a highly nutritious natural substance, which has in recent years gained, once again, interest in both developing and developed countries. It is very in high protein content; yields 20 times more protein per acre than soybeans, 40 times more than corn, and over 200 times more than beef make it an ideal food supplement for ever yone. More awareness needs to be raised so that people understand what spirulina can do, its high protein, vitamin, mineral and micro-nutrient properties are good for both the ill (HIV/AIDS), malnourished children and infants and for the health conscious. In some cases spirulina has been incorrectly marketed as a medicine giving people, particularly the ill, false hope – in fact spirulina is a food supplement whose main benefit is the boosting of the immune system. -
Book (stand-alone)Algae-based Biofuels
Applications and Co-products
2010Also available in:
No results found.The possible competition for land makes it impossible to produce enough first generation biofuel to offset a large percentage of the total fuel consumption for transportation. As opposed to land-based biofuels produced from agricultural feedstocks, cultivation of algae for biofuel does not necessarily use agricultural land and requires only negligible amounts of freshwater, and therefore competes less with agriculture than first generation biofuels. Combined with the promise of high productivi ty, direct combustion gas utilization, potential wastewater treatment, year-round production, the biochemical pathways and cellular composition of algae can be influenced by changing cultivation conditions and therefore tailored on local needs. On the other hand, microalgae, as opposed to most plants, lack heavy supporting structures and anchorage organs which pose some technical limitations to their harvesting. The reasons for investigating algae as a biofuel feedstock are strong but thes e reasons also apply to other products that can be produced from algae. There are many products in the agricultural, chemical or food industry that could be produced using more sustainable inputs and which can be produced locally with a lower impact on naturalresources. Co-producing some of these products together with biofuels, can make the process economically viable, less dependent from imports and fossil fuels, locally self sufficient and expected to generate new jobs, with a positive ef fect on the overall sustainability. This document provides an overview of practical options available for co-production from algae and their viability and suitability for developing countries. -
Book (stand-alone)The farming of seaweeds 2012
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No results found.Through this booklet the author aims to build, step by step, a clear understanding of the methods and techniques for the farming of Spinosum and Cottonii seaweed. The booklet also describes the range of difficulties and challenges that are likely to be faced , such that the stakeholders (including the farmers, private sector investors, government, donors and NGOs) are able to benefit from past experience and achieve a win-win situation. With this understanding and shared experience, it will be f easible to develop, in partnership with coastal communities, an industry worth millions of dollars.
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