Umesh N. R. is a fisheries professional, shrimp farmer, and social entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience advancing inclusive aquaculture in India and internationally. As the founding CEO of NaCSA (Government of India), he organized more than 16,000 small-scale shrimp farmers into over 750 farmer clusters, pioneering community-based, science-driven approaches to responsible shrimp farming. Through Aqua Saathi, he is actively building a data-driven platform, leading an expert team to deploy "Smart Clusters" that transform small-scale aquaculture. By combining digital tools with collective action, the ecosystem drives down production costs, de-risks farms to unlock critical finance and insurance, and bridges the gap to premium, traceable sustainable markets. His mission is to ensure that small-scale shrimp farmers are not left behind in the transition to a more sustainable, transparent, and lower-carbon aquaculture sector.
