The Spices Board India, Regional Office, Jodhpur, Rajasthan organized a residential ToT programme on GAP and GHP in Cumin and Fennel, from May 18-20, 2022, at Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Research Centre on Seed Spices (NRCSS) campus, Ajmer, Rajasthan. This ToT was organised in collaboration with FAO and supported by the Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF).

The ToT programme commenced with opening remarks by Dr S N Saxena, Director, ICAR-NRCSS, Ajmer; Dr A B Rema Shree, Director (Research and Finance), Spices Board, Cochin; Dr Konda Reddy Chavva, Officer-In-Charge, FAO Representation in India; and Mr. Vinay Singh, National Project Manager, and Food Security and Nutrition Expert, FAO India. This was followed by 11 sessions that included classroom training and field visits. The ToT programme was facilitated by experts from the ICAR-NRCSS, Spices Board and FAO.

The training was attended by 42 participants. The participants included selected Master Trainers (MTs); field level functionaries from government departments and private organizations and Exporters/ Growers/ Traders from Rajasthan and Kerala.

The ToT programme focused on GAP and GHP in production and marketing of Cumin and Fennel. It familiarised MTs with requirements of good agriculture and hygienic practices at different crop stages of Cumin and Fennel; Importance of GHP during postharvest processing, packaging, transportation, storage, and marketing; Process of certification and labelling, and the importance of gender in the spices value chain.  The training programme helped in acquainting MTs with a package of GAP and GHP in Cumin and Fennel, thus enabling them to further deliver the training to the other farmers.  

The ToT programme saw active participation from the majority of MTs, and the training materials and methodology received appreciation.

*****