Production of Spirulina

Some international development workers hope that spirulina production in impoverished areas of the world can fight malnutrition. The blue-green algae is very easy to produce and will grow in places unsuitable for most agricultural crops. As of 2011, more than 20 countries already have sizable commercial spirulina operations.

Spirulina

The tiny, spiral-shaped alga dates back 3.6 billion years, making it one of Earth’s oldest inhabitants. People in African, North American and Middle Eastern cultures have eaten spirulina for thousands of years. It grows naturally on every continent, especially in mineral-rich lakes near volcanoes. Since it came into vogue as a health food in the 1960s, scientists have analyzed the alga’s nutrients, finding an extremely high protein content. It also contains a lot of vitamin A and iron and significant amounts of other nutrients.

Low-Maintenance Crop

One of the most promising aspects of spirulina production is that it needs so little. Farmers can raise spirulina in otherwise unusable deserts, as it requires minimal water. According to Harald Tietze, author of "Spirulina: Micro Food, Macro Blessing," to produce an equivalent amount of protein by raising cows for beef, you’d need 28 times more water than for growing spirulina. The algae thrives in a warm temperature with not too much rain. Spirulina farming causes no environmental pollution. Instead, the algae produces oxygen as it grows.

Types of Production

Naturally occurring spirulina can still be harvested and sold from some lakes. But most commercial spirulina is deliberately cultivated. It can be grown in natural lakes, laboratories and farms. At Twin Taung Lake, in Myanmar, people come in boats to harvest thick mats of spirulina, which they wash, press and sun-dry, and then send to Yangoon to be formed into tablets. Under laboratory conditions, growers can influence spirulina by manipulating temperature and amount of light. Small-scale commercial projects are run by families or village collectives. Crops are eaten by local people, fed to livestock or used as feed in aquaculture operations. The biggest commercial effort started in Japan in the early 1960s. Other early adopters include Mexico, Chad, China and Brazil. China has built more than 80 spirulina factories, and between 2003 and 2004, Chinese spirulina production more than doubled, going from 19,080 tons valued at $7.6 million to 41,570 tons worth $16.6 million. Spirulina can even be grown in waste effluents, as evidenced by an experiment at a Nigerian fertilizer plant.

Case Study: Auroville

Auroville is a universal township in South India of about 50,000 people. Founded in 1968, people from at least 128 countries have spent time at Auroville, participating in the spiritual and communal life. An Aurovilian couple started an experimental algae farm in the 1970s. In early attempts, another algae, chlorella, kept overtaking spirulina. Others kept the farm going and continued to experiment with different techniques. By the 1990s, Aurovilians had commercial aspirations for the farm. This long process has evolved into Simplicity Spirulina Farm, which produces the Aurospirul brand of high-quality blue-green algae.