French‑Dominican Caribbean Initiative Secures €1 Million to Transform Sargassum

The FEF‑CARIBS project, a regional cooperation effort, was launched to turn the invasive sargassum macroalgae into economically valuable products. Funded with €1 million by France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the 30‑month programme will involve six territories – the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, France, Guadeloupe and Martinique. Coordinated by the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (Intec), the initiative will develop satellite‑based monitoring, remote‑detection tools, and technologies to convert sargassum into biomaterials, bio‑fertilizers and other value‑added goods, while creating jobs and strengthening coastal community resilience.

Project leaders highlighted the shift from treating sargassum as waste to a resource. Ulises Jáuregui, professor at Intec, said the goal is to “change the way the region faces sargassum, moving from collection to industrial utilization.” French ambassador Sonia Barbry emphasized the urgency, noting the “lack of effective management, erratic behavior of the phenomenon and absence of regulation” and the need for coordinated regional action. The effort builds on the earlier ResAgroSargazo programme (2024‑25), also funded by France, which explored sustainable alternatives for the algae.

The plan aims to foster research, innovation and new industries across the Caribbean basin, offering a model for other regions confronting similar algal blooms.