Community of Practice Launched to Tackle Sustainability Challenges in Indian Spice Sector

19 Mar, 2025

By:  Pradnya Thombare, Agriculture Advisor, DPPP Spices Project and Tanbir Azmi, Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist. 

For generations, the Thory family in Barmer, Rajasthan, has grown cumin, a staple in Indian kitchens and a key export crop. But shifting weather patterns and climate change have made farming unpredictable.

"The summers are hotter than ever, and the rains come when they shouldn’t," says Thakraram, a cumin farmer from the Thory family. "Our yields are shrinking. Cumin needs dry weather and cool nights, but now we’re losing crops due to erratic rainfall, rising night temperatures, and more pests than before."

Thakraram’s story is not unique. Across India, farmers growing cardamom, turmeric, black pepper, and other spices face unpredictable weather, soil degradation, and rising costs due to increased use of agrochemicals. These changes threaten the spices that have shaped India's culinary and economic identity

Why This Matters for India’s Spice Industry

India is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices, producing over 11 million metric tons in 2022-23. The country accounts for 75 of the 109 spice varieties recognised by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Yet, the industry faces serious challenges.

Climate change, rising production costs, and excessive agrochemical use threaten spice farming. At the same time, global markets are demanding stricter regulations on pesticide use and sustainability standards. Countries like the U.S. and those in the European Union have strict compliance requirements, but India’s domestic regulations remain more relaxed, making it difficult for farmers to compete internationally. Smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of India's spice sector, often lack the resources and support to adapt.

Without a shift toward sustainable farming, India's spice exports could take a major hit, leading to supply shortages and rising prices for consumers.

The Sustainable Spices Community of Practice as a New Solution

To address these challenges, the Community of Practice (CoP) for Sustainable Spices was launched at the International Spice Conference 2025 in Bangalore. This initiative brings together farmers, researchers, businesses, and policymakers to collaborate, share knowledge, and find real solutions for sustainability in the Indian spices sector. The launch event had the first round of discussions on:

1. Regenerative agriculture restoring soil health and reducing reliance on synthetic inputs.
2. Agro-biodiversity preserving traditional spice varieties for resilience.
3. Stronger pesticide regulations ensuring compliance with both domestic and international markets.

The idea for the CoP came from a stakeholder consultation under the develoPPP Spice Project, where stakeholders stressed the need for a structured space to address sustainability challenges together.

The International Spice Conference 2025, themed “Building Trust Beyond Borders,” was the perfect platform for this launch. With global spice companies, importers, and policymakers in attendance, the event reinforced the urgency of trust, transparency, and sustainability in shaping the future of the spice trade.

How the CoP Will Help Farmers and the Industry

The Sustainable Spices CoP is an action-driven platform that will:

1. Help farmers adopt sustainable practices through providing direct access to the knowledge materials, training programmes, and expert engagements.
2. Bridge the gap between industry, research and farming by connecting scientists with farmers as well as industry to ensure practical, real-world solutions that can help farmers to achieve international standards and compliance.
3. Policy advocacy around sustainability requirements for domestic market to improve food safety
4. Align policies with sustainability goals so that the industry can grow without harming the environment.

"For years smallholder farmers have struggled to understand and meet the global or national sustainability standards" says Saurabh Sinha from IDH, Sustainable Trade Initiative.
"Now, they will have direct access to experts, businesses, and policymakers who can help them transition to better practices."

“The Community of Practice is a wise step to bring all the stake holders in the spice industry under one umbrella to share, update and create a strong knowledge base that will lead for a collective action in resolving common issues in the industry” adds Ramkumar Menon from World Spice Organisation.

Join the Movement for Sustainable Spices

The Sustainable Spices CoP is an open platform where everyone from smallholder farmers to industry leaders will have a voice. Once operational, you can get involved by:

• Joining as a member to stay updated and contribute ideas.
• Volunteering expertise to help farmers and businesses transition to sustainable practices.
• Hosting events and discussions to bring sustainability into mainstream industry conversations.