The initiative is implemented through a technology dissemination and transfer program by Corfo, carried out by Cocinamar and with the support of the Atacama Productive Development Committee.
Until February 23rd, the event is taking place in Bahía Inglesa, Atacama region, the International Food Festival 2025 "Pacific Kitchens", which in its eleventh edition will feature various spaces such as art and cooking cycles; culinary residencies; fairs of products and preparations; as well as talks, conversations and other activities. In this context, the project will be presented, Dissemination and technology transfer of good practices in the development of added value products based on regional seaweeds collected by coastal communities of Atacama.
This initiative is implemented within the framework of Technology Diffusion Program (PDT) of Corfo, is executed by Cooking Foundation and has the support of the Atacama Productive Development Committee. The project seeks to strengthen and optimize the production and commercial chain of algae in the Atacama region, through technological diffusion, allowing to improve the technical, logistical and market capacities of producers and collectors, ensuring a sustainable and efficient management of the algal resources available in the region, based on businesses of high commercial value.
Regarding this, the regional director of Corfo Atacama, Rosa Román, said "from Corfo we want to generate an impact in terms of sustainability in the productive models of the territory and we believe that a key strategy is to add value to the seaweed found along our coasts. That is what we are seeking through the work we are promoting via the Atacama Productive Development Committee (CDP), focusing on the vocations" productions of the region. The International Festival of Gastronomy of Bahía Inglesa has positioned itself as a great event, therefore, an excellent showcase to make known this type of initiatives.”
“A latent problem in the region consists of the illegal extraction of algae, in an unsustainable way that is predating the coastal edge, so moving forward in a sustainable management of the seaweed meadows, developing businesses with added value, using investment and available technology, can be a way to reduce the fishing effort, using market forces to achieve this,” explained the director of the project and Fundación Cocinamar, Griselda Ilabel.
To make this initiative known at the International Festival of Gastronomy Bahía Inglesa 2025 “Cocinas Del Pacífico”, Griselda Ilabel, will hold an exhibition on productive economies of the sea on Thursday 20 February at 19:00 on the main stage, located on the beach promenade Las Machas. Along with this, marine biologist Naomi Solar, who is part of the project team and specializes in the marketing of algae, address the importance of the marketing and conservation of these resources in the context of the work to be carried out in the Atacama region.
To complete the presentation of this initiative, on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February a product and preparation fair will be held, where Fundación Cocinamar will exhibit a variety of products made from algae, such as cochayuyo tea, dehydrated and packaged algae, and cochayuyo calugas. “The idea is to show the productive diversification of algae, which is the main objective of our project,” Ilabel emphasized.
