After a successful workshop in India last August, SSI partners and some potential members, agreed to launch ‘SSI India’.
This group will focus not only on increasing supply of sustainable spices for export, but also has the ambition to reach sustainable production for the local market. A target has set to reach 25% of sustainably grown spices in 2025. SSI India envisages to also involve local industry and market stakeholders.
The meeting last August was also a learning exchange with experienced players from the Cotton sector, who shared their experiences on large scale cost-effective sustainability training of farmers in India.
A follow-up SSI India Workshop was held in Vijayawada last January 2016, in which SSI members actively shared experiences on the different SSI backward integration projects. It was also the opportunity for 4 Indian developement organisations to present and discuss on their recently started upscaling pilot projects.
The next SSI India meeting is scheduled for April 6th to 8th, to discuss the further SSI India plans and governance.