UNAIR NEWS – Through the idea of integrated technology in seaweed cultivation, students from Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPK) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) won a bronze medal in Essay Competition category at the 6th Nusantara Writing Festival which held on Saturday (October 3, 2026) in Bandung.
The team consisting of Ardiyan Ghossaan Sobandi, Candra Athallah Putra and Muhammad Naufal Ar Razi, presented an essay titled “Smart Blue Seed System: An AI- and IoT-Based Smart Platform for Seaweed Cultivation”. This idea aimed to help the seaweed farmers based on their environmental conditions of water.
Integrating technology for seaweed cultivation
Sobandi, the team leader, explained that this idea stemmed from the challenges in seaweed cultivation which is dependent on environmental conditions such as changes in sea temperature, salinity, high waves, and ice-ice disease that can increase the risk of losses for farmers.
“We observed that adapting seaweed cultivation is not focusing solely on developing seedlings, but it also requires paying attention to determining the most appropriate timing and conditions for cultivation,” she explained.
The Smart Blue Seed System integrates three main components: Smart Seed, which involves the development of Kappaphycus alvarezii seedlings that are more adaptable to high temperatures; Smart Monitoring, which tracks environmental conditions; and Blue Seed Mobile, an app that provides cultivation recommendations.
This app uses data on sea surface temperature, salinity, pH, waves, and rainfall to provide information on planting times, delays in cultivation, and accelerated harvesting.
Supporting sustainable blue economy
Sobandi revealed that this innovation is still just a concept that requires further development and field testing. Collaboration with the government and research institutions is necessary so that the system can be implemented in a way that meets the needs of coastal communities.
“We hope that this innovation can help in maintaining seaweed productivity, improving the economic resilience of coastal communities, and supporting a more sustainable blue economy development,” he said.
To conclude, they encourage students to not be afraid of developing ideas from different fields. “Start to develop an idea based on problems in your surroundings, conduct research to determine the effectiveness of your proposed solutions. Don’t just chase after victory, but focus on benefits you offer for the society,” he concluded.
Author: Maulya Afifah Zahra
Editor : Ragil Kukuh Imanto
