Biography:

Dr. Flower Ezekiel Msuya was born in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. She holds a PhD in Seaweed biofilters from Tel Aviv University, Israel; MSc (Fisheries and aquaculture) from University of Kuopio, Finland, and BSc (Hons-Botany, Statistics) from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She has worked as a researcher for 27 years; with Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (2 years) and Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS), University of Dar es Salaam in Zanzibar (25 years). Her work is a combination of research work, lecturing, supervision of students, and consultancy in marine biological sciences and climate change issues. She specialises in Seaweed farming and value addition; Integrated mariculture; and Innovation, clustering and cluster facilitation.

During 1993-96 she researched on the socioeconomic and environmental impact of seaweed farming the first study of its kind in Tanzania, and in 1995-96 she pioneered the start of seaweed farming in southern Tanzania. She continued with research in integrated mariculture focusing on seaweed biofilters. In recent years she has been engaged in research and training in innovative seaweed farming to combat effects of climate change including farming of seaweed in deep waters as opposed to shallow waters and value addition working with seaweed farmers and exports. Her most recent work has been on cluster-based research to address seaweed farmers and processors challenges.

Dr. Msuya has done a number of consultancies including Climate Innovation and Entrepreneurship (WWF 2009); Combating seaweed die-off due to climate change impact (Birr 2009), Seaweed Social and Economic Dimensions (FAO, 2009) Occupational Health Problems of Women Seaweed Farmers (WIEGO-2010), Opportunities and constraints for youth and women in the aquaculture Sector of Zanzibar (FAO 2013), as well as Starting seaweed farming in other countries-Mauritius & Rodrigues (2011) and Mayotte (2013) among others.

Dr. Msuya is one of the five International Trainers in Innovation and Clustering where she has trained over 200 innovative entrepreneurs in Tanzania, West Africa, and Mozambique. She is also the Facilitator of the Zanzibar Seaweed Cluster Initiative (ZaSCI) working with seaweed farmers in innovative farming and value addition. As the Facilitator, she has trained a number of seaweed farmers, researchers, and government officials in innovative farming and value addition.

Her work has especially helped marginalized women in Tanzania increase their income through production of seaweed value-added products e.g. selling seaweed powder for US$ 6.4/kg compared with the US$ 0.3/kg obtained from selling dry unprocessed seaweed. Through her innovative work she has also enabled seaweed farmers to farm the climate impacted higher valued seaweed which sells at US$ 0.6/kg compared with US$ 0.3 for the lower valued seaweed.

Distinguished Work

• Pioneered the production of the first seaweed value-added products by seaweed farmers in Tanzania, the seaweed powder and soap (2008)
• One of pioneers of the deep water seaweed farming technique to combat die-off climate change impact in Tanzania (2005)
• Pioneered the start of seaweed farming in Southern Tanzania (1995/1996)
• Formulated the first marine fish feed in Tanzania using local ingredients (1996/97)
• Pioneered the establishment of the Marine Education, Extension, and Development (MEED) Unit of the IMS (1992).
• Received first prize on best work in developing seaweed mariculture and utilisation in Southern Africa during the 24th Congress of the Phycological Society of Southern Africa (2009).
• Best worker of the year, Institute of Marine Sciences, 2013.

Dr. Msuya has published 17 journal papers, 10 conference proceedings papers, 6 book chapters, 4 books, and 30+ research reports.

Abstract: