ICAR, in 1971, launched a project, All India Coordinated Spices and Cashew Improvement Project (AICSCIP) at Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) at Kasaragod, Kerala to initiate research activities for the development of spice crops.

[1][2] IISR was formed with a five-fold mandate : Target group : Farmers & Planters Mandate : To extend services and technologies to conserve genetic resources of spices as well as soil, water and air of spices agro ecosystems.

Programs : Target group : Farmers, Planters & Industries Mandate : To develop high yielding and high quality spice varieties and sustainable production and protection systems using traditional and non-traditional techniques and novel biotechnological approaches.

[5] Further, IISR has prepared a knowledge base for the farmers, consisting of : Ten crops have been brought under the mandate of the Indian Institute of Spices Research.

Centralized Biochemistry laboratory: For the quality evaluation, studies on nutraceuticals, plant physiology and biochemical studies equipped with HPLC, gas chromatograph, HPTLC, refractometer, moisture analyzer, Cylotec sample mill, freeze drier, vacuum concentrator, chlorophyll flurometer, plant canopy analyzer, Photosynthetic system, plant growth chamber etc.

Centralized Plant Protection lab: An advanced Plant Protection lab with different types of microscopes with image analyzing systems, thermal cyclers, deep freezers, ultra centrifuges, Elisa reader with washer & printer, incubated shakers, walk- in- cold room etc.

They also maintain a web portal, SpicE- Library and has an institutional repository named ‘D-Spice’ has been developed using the Open Software D- Space.

IISR has a laboratory for this purpose where spices are tested for virus infection and genetic fidelity under this facility.

The major activities of ATIC are:[11] Krishi Vigyan Kendra was established in 1992 at Peruvannamuzhi village in Kozhikode as a subsidiary of the IISR.