As a small seaweed farmer in Bulgaria, I see a lot of potential in this strategy, but we need practical support, not only new plans.

The biggest challenge is moving from small pilot activities to real production. We need easier permits, access to funding for equipment and processing, and stronger demand from businesses.

For the Black Sea region, local conditions also need to be taken into account. With the right support, seaweed farming could create jobs, support coastal communities and bring more sustainable products to the market.

Hello. The “valley of death” effect, discussed in the EU Bioeconomy Strategy 2025–2040, is very widespread in Ukraine. A huge number of promising developments by research institutes and universities fail to receive further funding and are either forgotten or transferred to other countries, where they are used completely free of charge. Thus, the scientific community is deprived of a potential and significant source of funding.