Eco-Systems Group
What is Project Blue-Treasures?
"A Project to develop and implement climate change mitigation and GHG reduction through Sustainable Mariculture with socio-economic focus on vulnerable communities."
Project Opportunity & Problem
Knowing the potential that Colombia has by having 2 oceans with immense natural resources, the environment necessary to promote a maritime industry that can be globally competitive in the future and some Coastal Communities with immense economic needs to which this new aquaculture will be incorporated, it is our MISSION to create a "new economy" after COVID 19, with the order to improve the social, environmental and economic results for Colombia through the implementation of the cultivation and industrialization of algae crops and especially A type of Red Seaweed, which included in the feeding of Bovines , would reduce the reduction of Methane produced by them by more than 96% , and emitted as GHG (Greenhouse Gases).
The livestock sector produced 26% of Colombia's total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions (258.8 MtCO2e/yr) in 2012. This was 42% of the emissions of the agriculture, forestry, and land-use (AFOLU) sector (158.6 MtCO2e/yr), with cattle producing 95% of the livestock sector emissions.
Project Solution
Our project "PROJECT BLUE-TREASURES" includes biotechnology as a fundamental tool to discover, know and develop "bio-products", in this way to enhance the productivity and efficiency of sustainable Aquaculture in Colombia which shall solve environmental problems like climate change, ocean acidification, poorly explored blue-economy and socio-economic impact on coastal communities in Colombia.
The project focuses on the concept of Marine Permaculture, moving away from a Monoculture system and implementing in these “Marine Farms” several species of Macroalgae, namely: Asparagopsis Taxiformis, a Native species referenced by Bula Meyer (1997), thanks to which - Through its sustainable cultivation and industrialization - the solution has been found for a serious problem of emission of Greenhouse Gases that are produced in the rearing of Bovines and Sheep, due to the fact that by their digestion system, they produce and exhale into the Environment Ambient tons of Methane (CH4) mainly through your burps; Our international allies in the project in the company of researchers from prestigious international universities have been able to verify that by adding between 1 to 2% of the processed supplement of this algae it is possible to reduce the emission of this gas into the atmosphere by more than 80%, additionally improving animal nutrition, which was reflected in weight gain (fattening) or milk production depending on the type of breeding implemented.
Also to cultivate and process Red, Brown, Green or Blue Green Algae native to the Colombian Caribbean referred to by Bula Meyer (1997) for the production of cosmetic and food products, among which we can list: Hypnea Musciformis, Gracilaria mammillaris and Laurencia papillosa. Regarding the cosmetic products that we will develop, they will contain - as far as possible - 95% of ingredients of natural origin, 10% from a Marine Blue Park and 5% synthetic ingredients as a reference to the development of the "Blue Cosmetics" project.
Project Visualization
The following images from projects across globe give a prospective visualization of our project in Colombia.
