Collective action towards sustainable transformation of
Indian spice industry

The National Sustainable Spice Programme (NSSP) brings together stakeholders from public and private sectors, as well as smallholder farmer groups on one platform, to address social, economic, and environmental issues in the spices industry in India. The primary objective of the program is to promote ‘Food Safety and Sustainability’ by bringing together key players in the sector with a commitment to sustainable spice production.

NSSP develops partnerships and collaborations, and facilitates discussions between stakeholders in the spice value chain through the development of value chain linkages, and establishing service delivery models.

Why NSSP?

India is the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices. However, between the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals and the impact of climate change, the spice industry in India is in a critical state – soil health is deteriorating, water resources are depleting and crops are increasingly more contaminated. As a result, farmer livelihoods are suffering from diminishing returns, and food safety is a major risk for consumers. But small and scattered initiatives are unable to provide a permanent and replicable solution to these challenges.