India: Drought and climate change threaten the existence of the world’s finest saffron

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice. It’s worth around $2,000 per pound and is traditionally used in medicines and perfumes. But to the 19,000 families in Pampore, India, saffron farming has been their source of livelihood throughout generations. Popularly known as “saffron town,” Pampore is where the world’s best saffron grows. It sits 10 miles southeast of Srinagar, Kashmir’s capital city. Kashmir’s terrain, soil quality, and weather all play an important role in the production of saffron. Farmers have experienced harvesting three rounds of saffron crocus flowers from the same bulb in a single season which usually lasts less than a month or so. But for the past 10 years, farmers have lamented that the declining rainfall and a lack of adequate irrigation facilities have significantly decreased the yield and consistency of the world’s finest saffron. As a way to cope with this decline, some farmers have already switched to farming high-density crops like apples, walnuts, ...