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Seaweed farming in Tanzania was initiated through research by a University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) professor in the 1970s and early 1980’s. This was followed by commercial cultivation, which was started by private entrepreneurs in 1989. By 1996 seaweed was being farmed all along the coast of Tanzania. Production in 2008 was 6000–7000 tonnes annually, with Eucheuma denticulatum and Kappaphycus alvarezii as the main cultivated species. Tanzanian seaweed is exported mainly to the USA, France, Denmark, and Spain. While UDSM continues to play a big role in this industry through research and development working with coastal communities, the government and other institutions also play a big role in not only research and development but also uniting farmers and exporters, and providing extension service. This case study looks at the start and running of the seaweed farming industry and the role of the UDSM and other institutions on the development of seaweed farming in Tanzania.