Dr. Sharma's journey began in the midst of Nanded, Maharashtra. As a boy, he was fascinated with aquatic life and aspired to be a doctor or an IAS officer. But after narrowly missing medical entrance and diverted to study Master's in Aquaculture Management from the Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai. Dr. Sharma opted for practical involvement over academics, a decision that would redefine aquaculture in India.
Sowing Seeds of Change was sown in Gujarat's Saltlands
In 1994, Dr. Sharma shifted to Gujarat and saw a potential unexploited sector in brackish water shrimp farming. Starting with six pilot ponds at Dandi village, Surat, he faced setbacks in the form of a viral attack and Supreme Court restrictions. Undeterred, he began afresh in 1998 and yielded eight tons of shrimp, and there was excitement among farmers in the area. His success prompted hundreds of coastal fishers in the district to take up shrimp farming as their livelihood.
Emergence of SAFA: Joining Forces for Aquaculture
Lying awake at night, Dr. Sharma realized that unity was the solution. Recognizing the need for collective action, Dr. Sharma pitched an idea of the association and as a founder member established the Surat Aquaculture Farmers Association (SAFA). Today, SAFA is one of the most successful farmers’ associations with more than 1000 farmer members and aims to create a sustainable and environment-friendly shrimp farming system. Presently, SAFA maintains more than 3000 hectares of shrimp farms that yield 15,000 metric tons every year.
The following best aquaculture practices by all SAFA members:
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5:20:75 pond construction ratio to facilitate settlement, reservoir, and culture ponds.
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Strict biosecurity measures: crab fencing, bird netting, multi-level water filtration.
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Regular use of bioremediation products like probiotics and shrimp health supplements.
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Seed acquisition from qualified hatcheries with triple-stage PCR testing.
These best practices enable SAFA farms to achieve a 80% success rate, significantly higher than the national average.
Building Mayank Aquaculture: From 4 to 400 Hectares business operation
Dr. Sharma started Mayank Aquaculture Pvt. Ltd. (MAPL) in 2005 with only 4 hectares. Now, it has stretched to 400 hectares through his affiliated group of companies, yielding more than 1,000 tons of shrimp per annum. The company adheres to strict scientific practices, and it's a model of India's blue economy in sustainability.
Innovations by MAPL are:
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Indoor Multiphase rearing systems of shrimp seeds.
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Use of "VIVALINE"—MAPL's proprietary aquaculture health product line.
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Simple and scientific biosecurity designs for the prevention of diseases.
Developing Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Excellence
Post-harvest excellence was also developed through SAFA's combined efforts with the creation of the in-house state of the art shrimp processing facility adjacent to the shrimp farms. This reduces the freezing time and prevents excessive post-harvest handling, maintaining the quality of the shrimp and commanding improved market prices for farmers.
The whole production line from pond to plate is optimized under rigorous hygiene and cold chain management, and Gujarat shrimp is now competitive on the world stage.
Empowering Communities and Creating Livelihoods
Dr. Sharma's achievement is not only in tons of shrimp but in changing lives. His individual business operations directly benefit more than 300 workers and indirectly benefit thousands of other coastal fishers in Surat's coastal belt. SAFA's model of inclusivity has empowered rural youth, women, and marginal farmers through training, employment, and micro-enterprises.
Processing-based women entrepreneurship and smallholder farmer partnerships are now drivers of rural growth with the guidance of Dr. Sharma.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Sharma's work has been rewarded with several renowned awards:
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Global Industry Impact Award 2024 – World Aquaculture Society (Copenhagen)
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Innovative Farmer Award 2023 – ICAR–IARI
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Best Technology Infusion in Aquaculture 2021 – NFDB (National Award)
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Leadership in Fisheries & Aquaculture 2014–15 – ICAR–CIFE
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India's Small Giants Award 2014 – India SME Forum
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Agrivision Award 2020 – ABVP
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Best BW Shrimp Farmer 2018 – NFDB
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Spoken at FAO GLOBEFISH, Barcelona
These honors acknowledge not just his technical knowledge but also his visionary leadership in developing Gujarat’s aquaculture economy.
GFBN and Vision Ahead
Dr. Manoj M. Sharma has recently joined as a mentor under the Global Farmer Business Network (GFBN), an initiative of Krishi Jagran to assist innovative farmers. He is now set to have vision so here are his future plans:
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Domestic branding of Indian shrimp
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Scaling up his "Zhingalala" pesco-vegetarian restaurant to boost domestic shrimp and seafood consumption.
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Development of 100,000 hectares of brackish water farms in Gujarat
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Creation of 10,00,000+ rural livelihoods through aquaculture entrepreneurship
He dreams of an India where shrimp is not merely an export commodity but a food staple made available and affordable to domestic consumers.
From roadside vending of prawns to operating a Rs. 100 crore international shrimp business, Dr. Manoj M. Sharma is not just an aquapreneur but a changemaker. His achievement serves as an inspiration to rural India, demonstrating that science, vision, and perseverance can convert barren coastlines into blue gold. His tale is not merely about shrimp. It's about perseverance, people power, and the unlimited potential of Indian agriculture and aquaculture when guided by innovation.
"Regardless whether you are an entrepreneur or a farmer, the sea of opportunity lies at the intersection of passion and persistence. Shrimp farming is not merely business, it's a revolution." – Dr. Manoj M. Sharma
Note: Global Farmer Business Network (GFBN) is a dynamic platform where agricultural professionals—farmer entrepreneurs, innovators, buyers, investors, and policymakers - converge to share knowledge, experiences, and scale their businesses. Powered by Krishi Jagran, GFBN facilitates meaningful connections and collaborative learning opportunities that drive agricultural innovation and sustainable development through shared expertise. Join GFBN today: https://millionairefarmer.in/gfbn
