Biodiversity of andean grains: Balancing market potential and sustainable livelihoods Edited by Alessandra Giuliani, Felix Hintermann, Wilfredo Rojas and Stefano Padulosi Bern University of Applied Sciences c Biodiversity of andean grains: Balancing market potential and sustainable livelihoods d Biodiversity of andean grains: Balancing market potential and sustainable livelihoods Edited by Alessandra Giuliani, Felix Hintermann, Wilfredo Rojas and Stefano Padulosi Bioversity International and the Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL) December 2012 Biodiversity of andean grains: Balancing market potential and sustainable livelihoods Bioversity International is a world leading research-for-development non-profit organization, working towards a world in which smallholder farming communities in developing countries are thriving and sustainable. Bioversity’s purpose is to investigate the use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity in order to achieve better nutrition, improve smallholders’ livelihoods and enhance agricultural sustainability. Bioversity International works with a global range of partners to maximize impact, to develop capacity and to ensure that all stakeholders have an effective voice. Bioversity International is part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, which works to reduce hunger, poverty and environmental degradation in developing countries by generating and sharing relevant agricultural knowledge, technologies and policies. This research, focused on development, is conducted by a Consortium of 15 CGIAR centres working with hundreds of partners worldwide and supported by a multi-donor Fund. The School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences – HAFL – located in Zollikofen, Switzerland, is part of Bern University of Applied Sciences. It is recognised as a centre of competence in the agricultural, forestry, natural resources management and food industries. In addition to offering further and higher education (Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes), HAFL conducts applied research and renders services in Switzerland and around the world (in particular in developing and transition countries), making in-depth scientific knowledge on food security, sustainable agriculture, natural resource management of practical use. HAFL cultivates interdisciplinary exchange among its divisions of agriculture, forestry and food sciences with the aim of developing holistic and sustainable solutions. This is an excellent basis for strategic partnerships in teaching, research and service provision. Citation Giuliani, A., F. Hintermann, W. Rojas and S. Padulosi, editors. 2012. Biodiversity of Andean grains: balancing market potential and sustainable livelihoods. Bioversity International, Rome, Italy Cover Top photo: Women farmer from the Andean region (S. Padulosi/Bioversity); bottom photo: A quinoa field in Bolivia (S. Padulosi/Bioversity). ISBN 978-92-9043-932-5 © Bioversity & HAFL, 2012 ii Foreword Growing up in Lima, Peru in the sixties, I was occasionally offered quinoa for lunch, the small translucent grains as a creamy porridge with bits of farmer’s cheese, or in soup. This was by no means common among households I knew, but my mother was a finicky and enlightened cook who believed in tasty and nutritious eating, particularly for children, always thought to be on the brink of malnourishment. She herself was not familiar with the grain but read about its nutritional virtues through the press. This was a time when quinoa was being rediscovered by nutritionists, who extolled its high protein content, said to be comparable only to meat! A lot has changed since then. Today, quinoa is a favourite grain with foodies and health-conscious consumers in developed countries. The recent market success of the grain has also resulted in wholesale abandonment of traditional farming practices, more in keeping with fragile lands, with the consequence that the long-term sustainability of these productive systems is being compromised by short-term gains. This is a menace to the livelihoods of the quinoa farmers themselves. The situation is particularly serious in the southern Altiplano of Bolivia, the most important area for the production of quinoa for the international market. This market seems to prefer the larger quinoa grains found in only 5 of the 40 Quinoa Real types produced in this area, which thus remain underutilized and in danger of disappearing. The present volume addresses Andean grains and in particular quinoa, looking at their current use from several angles and highlighting the trade-offs involved in changing from traditional to commercial agricultural systems. The book offers many helpful suggestions for policy-makers, including recommendations for investments in sustainable production technologies and use of incentives for the use and maintenance of these very nutritious and resilient crops. Finally, this publication could not have come at a more convenient time as we celebrate the 2013 International Year of Quinoa. We sincerely hope it will contribute to raise awareness over needs, challenges and opportunities regarding the sustainable promotion of quinoa as well as other Andean grains and minor crops that albeit lesser known than major staples, may hold the future of the food and nutrition security of Humankind. Marleni Ramirez Director of the Regional Office for the Americas, Cali, Colombia Bioversity International iii Biodiversity of andean grains: Balancing market potential and sustainable livelihoods Contents Foreword iii Acknowledgements x About this publication xi Contributors xiv 1. Biodiversity and underutilized species in the context of global challenges 1 Alessandra Giuliani 1 Underutilized plant species as part of a large biodiversity portfolio 3 The significance of agrobiodiversity 3 Underutilized plant species 4 The role of underutilized species in the context of global challenges 6 Food insecurity and malnutrition 6 Marginal areas and climate change stresses 7 Household income instability and vulnerability in developing countries 8 Market access and market globalization 8 Andean grains: state of the art 10 Current and recent projects and efforts to re-value the Andean grains 12 References 15 2. Market potential of Andean grains 25 José Luis Soto and Enrique Carrasco 25 Context of the study: the IFAD-NUS Project 27 Main Andean crops 28 Importance of Andean Grains in local communities’ Economy 29 Characteristics of Andean grains 29 Quinoa 29 Nutritional value and uses 30 Food uses 34 Medicinal uses 34 By-products 35 Cañahua 35 Nutritional value and uses 35 Food uses 39 Medicinal uses 39 By-products 40 Amaranth 40 Nutritional value and uses 40 Food uses 43 Medicinal use 43 By-products 44 New and innovative agroindustrial uses for Andean grains 44 Comparing the three grains 44 iv Value chain of Andean grains 46 Production 46 Cultivation and yield 46 Quinoa 46 Evolution of quinoa export in Bolivia 48 Internal market 49 Cañahua 49 Amaranth 50 Social, economic and labour issues 50 Profit margins for producers 51 Processing and marketing 52 Processed products on local markets 52 Quinoa 52 Washed quinoa (pearled quinoa) 52 Quinoa flakes 52 Quinoa flour 52 Expanded quinoa or popped quinoa 52 Cañahua 53 Washed grain 53 Cañahua powder 53 Raw cañahua flour 53 Amaranth 53 Washed grain 53 Flour 53 Popped grain 53 Further-processed products in local markets 53 Noodles and pasta (quinoa) 54 Muesli (quinoa, cañahua and amaranth) 54 Packing and marketing of transformed products 54 Markets 56 Commercialization channels and volume 56 Sale and price systems 58 Producer prices in community markets or regional fairs 58 Competition (Peru, Ecuador and others) 59 Main players in the value chain 59 Characteristics of the main players 59 Product flows 61 The Cañahua product flow 61 The Cañahua product flow 61 The amaranth chain 62 International demand and requirements 62 Opportunities in foreign markets 63 Bio-markets for the Andean grains 64 Sustainable development of native products 64 Norms for export of ecological products 65 v Biodiversity of andean grains: Balancing market potential and sustainable livelihoods Future opportunities and challenges 65 National policies 65 The National Development Plan 65 The MDRAyT Sectoral Plan 67 A new market 69 International market opportunities 70 The European market 70 Destination market: Germany 72 Destination market: Spain 72 Destination market: France 73 Recommendations: Strategies for the promotion of Andean grains 73 Acknowledgements 74 References 74 3. Livelihoods of quinoa producers in southern Bolivia 78 Damiana Astudillo and Genaro Aroni 78 78 Context of the study: quinoa in Bolivia 81 Rationale and methodology of field study 84 Rationale of the study 84 Research approach and methodology 85 Household Surveys 86 Focus groups 87 Livelihoods in the southern Altiplano 88 Natural capital and ecology 88 Physical capital (infrastructure) 89 Water and waste systems 89 Roads and market access 89 Healthcare 90 Energy 91 Schools 91 Social and human capital 93 Ethnicity and language 93 Demography and population dynamics 94 Traditional institutions 96 New institutions 97 Economic and productive conditions 98 Sources of income 98 Income and poverty 99 Access to credit and financing 101 Land tenure and land use 102 Knowledge and use of quinoa diversity 104 Quinoa diversity in the southern Altiplano 104 Farmers’ knowledge of quinoa varieties and types 104 Special agronomic characteristics of quinoa types 106