In a significant development for India’s aquaculture sector, the Collaborative Shrimp Disease Investigation Program (CoSDIP) has transitioned into a more structured initiative with the formation of the Shrimp Health Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit entity. The move aims to enhance transparency, enable sustainable scaling, and support long-term research on shrimp health management.
CoSDIP, a farmer-led and science-backed initiative, has witnessed steady growth in recent months, driven by strong support and trust from stakeholders across the value chain. As the program expanded, the need for a formal platform became evident to facilitate structured operations, transparent fund management, and wider participation, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions.
The newly established foundation will serve as a dedicated vehicle to channel resources efficiently while ensuring accountability. It will also play a crucial role in scaling initiatives such as CoSDIP, which focus on addressing disease challenges impacting shrimp farming.
Importantly, the PFFI will continue to lead and execute the program, maintaining continuity in its field-level implementation and farmer engagement.
To further strengthen the initiative, an Advisory Board comprising eminent experts from science, industry, and policy has been constituted. The board includes distinguished professionals such as S. Santhana Krishnan, Tarun Shridhar, C. V. Mohan, Iddya Karunasagar, Kuldeep K. Lal, K. N. Raghavan, K. V. Rajendran, Arun K. Dhar, Indrani Karunasagar, Craig Browdy, D. Ramaraj, Victor Suresh, Victoria Alday, Ravi Kumar Yellanki, Oscar Hennig, Olivier Decamp, Willem van der Pijl, Amerneni Ravikumar, Suresh Nayak, and Madhu Mohan Talluri.
Founding Directors I.P.R. Mohan Raju and Balasubramaniam V expressed their gratitude to stakeholders and advisors for their continued support.Balasubramaniam V said, “CoSDIP began as a farmer-driven response to a serious field problem. Scientific institutions helped give it structure, industry support strengthened the effort, and the Shrimp Health Foundation was established to provide a transparent and long-term institutional platform for its growth.”
