The British government has stepped forward to provide technical assistance to Sri Lankan shrimp farmers to improve their livelihoods, prevent disease outbreaks in shrimp farms, and enhance production. A special awareness workshop introducing modern shrimp farming practices was successfully held today  (16) at the Club Palm Bay Hotel in Marawila.

The programme, jointly organised by the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) and the British government’s Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP), aimed to introduce biosecurity measures that help prevent the spread of diseases in shrimp farming. Through the United Kingdom’s Blue Planet Fund, this five-year initiative provides Sri Lankan fishermen and shrimp farmers with essential technical knowledge and training free of charge.

Addressing the gathering, the Chairman of   National Aquaculture Development Authority Mr. Kithsiri Dharmapriya stated that although shrimp farming is a significant foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka, recurring disease outbreaks continue to pose major challenges for farmers.

“Rather than treating diseases after they occur, our objective is to educate farmers on how to prevent them through proper farm management practices. Through the new ‘SIIS’ mobile application introduced last month, farmers can now submit information about their farms and receive early disease warnings. More important than acquiring knowledge is applying it effectively in the field,” the Chairman said.

He also expressed his appreciation to the United Kingdom’s Cefas institute and the British government for extending technical cooperation to Sri Lanka since 2023. He expressed confidence that this partnership would further strengthen Sri Lanka’s shrimp farming industry and enable it to become a model for neighboring countries.

Experts representing the British government’s OCPP programme, academics from the Centre for Aquatic Animal Disease Diagnosis and Research (CAADDR) of the University of Peradeniya, officials from the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH), researchers, scientists, as well as shrimp producers and exporters, participated in the programme.