We recently attended a
conference organised by the Desert Restoration Hub, held at Greenwich
University in London. From a very interesting programme, one talk in
particular, from James Reynolds of Duke University, stood out. It was
particularly timely as the UN has decreed 2013 to be the “Year of Quinoa.
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| The location of the Altiplano in the central Andes. Map: Wikimedia commons |
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| Aerial view of the arid Altiplano between Sicuani (Cusco) and Ayaviri (Puno), Peru. The altitude here is about 3900 m. Photo: Maurice Chédel |
Quinoa is well suited to
cool, dry environments on poor soils, although it does need well-distributed
rainfall during establishment. It will grow well on salt-affected land, and is
perfectly at home at high altitudes. It is related to the widespread temperate
weed known in the UK as Fat Hen (C. album)
which is sometimes cultivated as a vegetable, and to other pseudo-cereals such
as grain amaranth that are grown in other parts of the world, for example the
Himalayas. A shrub that can grow to more than 2 m high, in flower and at
harvest quinoa brings vibrant colours to the otherwise monotone semi-desert.
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Quinoa plants near Cachora,
Apurímac, Peru. Altitude: 3800m. Photo:
Maurice
Chédel
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Quinoa has a very good nutrient
composition compared with most cereals. The grains contain all ten essential
amino acids, high fibre, and high concentrations of minerals such as calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Over the centuries, local
farmers have kept and sown their own seed. As quinoa becomes adapted to
particular micro-environments, the area where it grows shows very high
biodiversity, and there are a great many landraces each adapted to its own
particular environmental niche.
Traditionally, the crop
has been grown for subsistence, and farmers have largely cooperated with such
things as land preparation and harvest. Although it responds to fertilizer,
traditionally little or none has been applied. However, in recent years increasing
realisation of the health benefits of the grain has led to very high commercial
demand from, for example, the US, Europe and Australia.
This has had a number of undesirable
consequences. The high demand has led to a tripling in prices to, for some
varieties, USD 8,000 per tonne, which has fuelled an increase in the area of
the crop. The increased prices have led to increased mechanisation, and to the
crop spreading to increasingly marginal land which is damaged by the
cultivation operations. This is leading
in some cases to increased erosion. The high prices also mean that local
farmers are more likely to sell their harvest, rather than using it to
supplement diets that are otherwise energy-rich but nutrient-poor, and that
poor people in towns and cities can no longer afford it. Increased wealth also
means that sales of “junk” food and drink are increasing among the farmers, and
obesity is rising as a result.
Similarly, changes in
culture and social behaviour are becoming apparent. For example, farmers are
apparently now far less likely to cooperate with each other than previously,
and there have even been reports of conflict over quinoa-growing land.
What does this all tell
us? Clearly, we need to help smallholder farmers increase their production and
yields, but this has to be done in a sustainable way. If a price boom leads to
unsustainable production practices then many problems can result.
More on this story is available on the Guardian and, more controversially, also on their blog at http://bit.ly/WcbUTF
