Project Period: 2010-2015
Project Location: Kerala
Direct Impact: 10,000+ family members of spice farmers
Shibani led this agriculture value chain project with partners such as Pernod Ricard, GIZ, PDS organics, involving fostering fair trade, financial inclusion, wealth creation impacting over 2000+ Kerala spice farmers.
Large international buyers of spices have a significant demand for high-quality spices sourced in India. Many farmers’ organizations are willing to export their product acquiring fair trade and organic certifications that provide them with premiums. However, the farmers are widely dispersed and are not able to produce sufficient quantities required for the export market. Thus, there is a clear need for smallscale farmers to improve their capacities according to international standards in order to access to international markets.
Understanding this need and wanting to address this gap this project aimed to facilitate fair trade and wealth creation for Indian spice farmers. Small scale farmers in the state of Kerala, India, meet international quality and fair trade requirements for spices by improving their production to meet fair trade requirements, having an improved financial literacy as well as access international markets for spices.
Outreach (Number of Target Clients):
2300+ Farmers and their families
Results:
• Established Access to International Markets:
-More than 100 small spice farmers of Kerala were provided with new international market opportunities with Pernod Ricard Italia, its affiliated companies & international buyers.
• Strengthening Capacity of Farmers Through Crop Diversification:
-100 farmer women trained to produce Vetiver handicrafts as an additional income source
-50 tribal farmers are learning the State-of-the-art techniques on cultivation of organic cardamom.
• Financial Literacy Training:
1000+ Spice Farmers were trained in financial education to better manage and plan their finances.
