For the women of Pamban island, in India's rather remote Gulf of Mannar, gathering seaweed has long been a means to eke out a living in harsh circumstances. The seaweed they harvest goes into the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It's a key ingredient in Indian agar—a thickening substance used in jellies. And it's vital to one of India's sunrise industries—the manufacture of "bio stimulants." These are natural fertilizers that companies claim will enrich the soil and reverse the effects of climate change. But the dangers that these women confront everyday, the exploitation they face, and what their lives are like are often untold tales. NPR delves into their story.
