Strengthening spice value chain in India and improving market access through capacity building and innovative interventions

Strategic Objective 4: Enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems

Objectives: There are two objectives of this project: 1) To expand exports of safe and high-quality spices from India to overseas markets. This will contribute to improved food safety and consumer health in India and export markets. This is further expected to help in boosting incomes of small-scale farmers, empower women and other marginalized (tribal) communities, and support efforts to reduce poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2) in the selected project areas in India. 2) To build the capacity of stakeholders in the spices value chain to improve the safety and quality of three seed spices (cumin, fennel and coriander) and black pepper in order to increase market access.

Description: The project directly benefits up to 1,200 smallholder farmers (men and women) and their families, who rely on farming as their only source of income. Many of these farming households depend on subsistence agriculture and live in poverty, with little land and inputs at their disposal. With very limited knowledge and skills, and without being part of groups or networks that could support their bargaining power, they have not been able to connect to value chains or to benefit from agricultural trade opportunities. At the same time, few if any other livelihood options exist, and development of the spices sector for export shows real potential. While other development projects and government programmes have targeted the spice sector in India, the focus has been primarily on pepper, and few if any have looked at cumin, fennel and coriander. The poor and marginalized smallholder farmers (including tribal communities) that are the focus of this project, have rarely benefited from previous programmes and projects. The participating small farmers will get a better price for their spices when they are able to meet national and international standards, and have direct connections to buyers and exporters. In addition, the project will improve occupational health and safety through better handling of produce, safer application of chemicals and better storage practices, creating a safer working environment for farmers and farm labourers.

Poor village women account for a major share of farm labour engaged in spice cultivation, and are the major beneficiaries from this project. Women play an important role in a range of activities that include: sowing, transplanting, weeding, harvesting, post harvesting and pre-processing. This project will enable , these women farmers and labourers to produce higher-quality produce and potentially get higher prices for their produce. A boost in their income will enhance both the social as well as financial status of these women farmers. It is expected that women will account for at least 50 per cent of the farmers benefitting from this project. The project will use a gender mainstreaming and targeting strategy, backed by a gender and vulnerability socio-economic analysis to identify relevant target farmers and their specific constraints and need and opportunities for engagement.

The project also benefits other stakeholder groups along the value chain. Training activities have enhanced the ability of agro-dealers to offer effective advice and to sell targeted inputs to farmers. Their improved ability to advise and provide inputs to farmers will enhance and foster their relationships with customers. The knowledge and capacity of producers, operators of market yards/ auction centres and storage godowns, processors, transporters and traders will also be enhanced by the project, encouraging good practices and adherence to high standards in storage, transportation and processing.

Research institutions, extension services also stand to benefit from collaboration in this project, directly or via its extended reach. Staff of the Spices Board and other relevant organizations and extension workers of select State governments will be equipped with the knowledge through resource material to conduct trainings in this field beyond the timeframe of the project.

At the macro level, trade organizations and the government will benefit from improved market access, as spice exports represent a major source of foreign exchange. Further along the value chain, importers and the spice processing industry as a whole, and exporters would benefit from more reliable supplies of good quality spices. Finally, the benefits will also be evident to consumers who will be ensured a safe and clean product.

This project is a first of its type in terms of the spices identified, specifically the seed spices, and could be replicated in other regions of the country as well as in other major spice producing countries. The good practice and training modules will be widely disseminated globally through the STDF website for use.

Donor: Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)

Expected Outputs:

• Capacity (in the public and private sector and academia) to deliver trainings / awareness programmes on risk-based assessments and Good Practices along the identified spice value chains (institutions, producers, growers and workforce) improved.
• Capacity of farmers and other value chain actors to adopt Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) / Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) enhanced to improve yields, quality and safety of spices.
• Marketing and links to buyers (exporters/ importers) strengthened.
• Establishment and implementation of a National Contaminant and Residue Control Programme (NCRCP) for identified spices.

End of Project Assessment Report: Click here