FAO in collaborationwith the Spices Board India, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) organised a virtual Project Steering Committee Meeting on February 17, 2022. Participants included representatives from the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and members of the Project Steering Committee. The meeting was conducted to review project progress and obtain feedback from Project Steering Committee members on the overall implementation of activities, and challenges and how to address them in the selected geography.

The project focuses on the production of exportable surplus of spices such as Cumin, Fennel, Coriander and Black Pepper, by addressing Sanitary and Phytosanitary issues (SPS) in selected production hubs of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Further, the project is introducing an electronic system of linking farmers to exporters, thereby improving traceability through certification to ensure the credibility of these products.

In the Annual Project Steering Committee Meeting, the inaugural session included remarks by Shri D. Sathiyan IFS, Secretary, Spices Board; Ms Roshan Khan, Economic Affairs Officer, STDF, WTO; Dr Sridhar Dharmapuri, Senior Food Safety and Nutrition Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific; and Dr Konda Reddy Chavva, Officer-In-Charge, FAO Representation in India.

The project progress review session was conducted by Dr Joji Mathew, Deputy Director (Development), Spices Board. This was followed by a presentation on lessons learned, challenges and strategies adopted to address the implementation issues by Mr Vinay Singh, National Project Manager, and Food Security and Nutrition Expert, FAO India.  

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