Abstract:
In order to solve the environmental, social, and economic issues facing contemporary
food systems, sustainable agriculture is essential. Spice production is a major source
of export revenue and rural lives in Sri Lanka. This study, "Promoting Sustainable
Spice Cultivation: The Role of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in Kandy District,"
evaluated how smallholder farmers' adoption of GAPs supports sustainable spice
cultivation. The study concentrated on the impact of five GAP elements on views of
sustainability: soil management, water management, pest control, post-harvest
handling, and record keeping. One hundred smallholder farmers completed structured
questionnaires as part of a quantitative approach, which was then analyzed using
multiple regression, Pearson correlation, and descriptive statistics in SPSS. Results
showed an ageing yet experienced farming population, with 67o/o above 40 years and
79o/ohavrng over five years of experience, though 69%had limited GAP knowledge
and 54Yo lacked certification. Despite this, adoption of sustainable practices was high
(means > 4.0), with pest control (M:4.16), post-harvest handling (M:4.09), and
record keeping (M: 4.08) leading. Strong positive correlations were found between
all GAP dimensions and sustainability (r :0.775*0.880, p < 0.01), with post-harvest
handling and water management showing the highest influence. The regression model
explained 86.7% of the variance of perccption of sustainable cultivation (R'z:0.867),
confirming all five GAP dimensions: soil management, water management, pest
control, post-harvest handling andrecord keeping as significant predictors. Experience
enhanced sustainability perceptions (p : 0.007), while younger farmers were more
adaptable (p : 0.034). The study concludes that although formal GAP awareness and
certification remain limited, farmers already practice many GAP principles through
traditional methods. Enhancing awareness, training, and certification support,
alongside institutional and market-based incentives, wili strengthen environmental
outcomes, product quality, and farmer livelihoods, fostering a resilient and sustainable
spice industry in Sri Lanka.
