Quinoa with farmer in Cachilaya, Bolivia

An interesting new paper by Andrew Ofstehage in the journal Agriculture and Human Values describes the current economy of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) in Bolivia, about which we have reported previously. Although it is occasionally difficult to cut through the social science jargon of the paper (at least for us humble agronomists), it is an excellent account of the options available to poor Bolivian smallholders for commercialising quinoa of different qualities in different marketing channels. The paper also explores the complex motivations behind farmers’ decisions to sell quinoa to different buyers, and it provides insights in the role and vital services of local intermediaries (contrary to the common stereotype of their exploitative role).

We found it interesting that although the traditional marketing of quinoa as an undifferentiated commodity continues to be the choice of producers of lower grade qualities, some farmers actively pursue strategies to position their quinoa in high-value market niches. So, for example, the farmers of Los Lipez, reported to take pride in local production methods that result in a particularly large grain and distinct product, “have created a denomination of origin (DO), a registered trademark to protect a geographically distinct and socially reproduced commodity, for quinua real de Lipez. This initiative encourages Lipeño farmers to sell their quinoa as Lipeña and prohibits outside farmers from doing so..”

Interestingly, the movement towards differentiation of Lipeña quinoa is largely spearheaded by a consortium of local organisations intending “to add value to local products and promote an alternative local economy based on the recognition of tradition and Lipeña identity through the promotion of products, development of new products, and the certification of products from Lipez”.

The completed application file should be send to the Admissions Office by May 31st, 2012 at the latest. Candidates applying for scholarships must also send the Scholarship Request Form together with their application file by May 31st, 2012.

Please visit here for more information:
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Awards are made on a competitive basis to students who show strong scientific and leadership potential.  Funds are available for one-year and cannot exceed US$20,000.  For more information on eligibility criteria and to download the application, please visit their website at:

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Deadline for submission is 14^th May 2012.

Bioversity International is organizing a live web-cast for us all to be there and contribute – see the message from Bioversity International’s web site

To mark the event, why not join Bioversity International for a live chat ‘Agricultural Biodiversity and our Planet‘ on Tuesday 27 March at 14:00 from Rome, Italy (Central European Summer Time – CEST) which you will be able to follow live from this page. Check out the International Time Converter.

Our expert panel – Emile Frison, Bruce Cogill, Fabrice DeClerck and Stephan Weise – will respond to questions and comments about how agricultural biodiversity can contribute to the global sustainability challenge and improve nutrition and livelihoods in smallholder farming communities.

As well as opportunities to contribute questions and comments during the event, we are also now taking advance questions through Twitter – #abdchat

Yacon roots on sale in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia (Photo courtesy: Choo Kwong Yan, March 2012)

The pictured yacon roots (Smallanthus sonchifolius) were recently seen by our colleague Mr Choo Kwong Yan on sale in various outlets of locally grown vegetables in the Cameron Highlands in Peninsular Malaysia. By all accounts yacon is a new crop in Malaysia, unheard of until recently, and we have yet to identify the grower, and from where s/he has received the original planting material of this vegetatively propagated crop.

Most of the dry matter of yacon roots consists of oligo-fructose, and the information on display next to the roots fairly accurately describes its beneficial effects on gut heath, as revealed in a number of recent studies. Originally from the Andes, but largely unknown there and absent from Andean markets until the early years of this century, yacon has rebounded from oblivion and scientific neglect after its introduction to Japan in 1983, where yacon’s  chemical composition and hypoglycemic effects have been discovered.

In addition to perceived nutritional benefits, it is the crunchy and succulent texture of yacon that may have endeared it to Asian users. Within 15 years, yacon spread from Japan to China, Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan. The sighting of yacon in Malaysia suggests that the dispersal of this crop in Asia is in full swing and has now reached the Cameron highlands which –at an altitude of over 1200 masl- offer climatic conditions similar to those in the crop’s native range.

Yacon planting material is largely dispersed through informal seed systems. Unless there is proof to the contrary, we are rather confident to suspect that introductions across borders have likely been at odds with international best practices for germplasm movement, and with post-CBD thinking about national ownership and control of genetic resources. However, without the yacon development that has taken place in Asia, it is hard to see how the crop would have regained so much popularity in Peru in the last 10 years. Attribute discovery in Japan, although initially resented by Peruvian news media, eventually stimulated investment in research and value chains in Peru itself, and many farmer communities derive new income from an ancient crop plant they hardly used any longer before the current yacon boom. Thus the complex but real “access and benefit sharing” implicit in many informal crop disersals  in the past is still at work, a fact conveniently overlooked in the debates about “biopiracy”.

The case of yacon also quite nicely illustrates that minor crops are no exception to the interdependency of nations with regard to crop genetic resources, suggesting the inclusion of such species in multi-lateral access schemes. There is a large number of lesser known crops that have hugely benefited local populations by dispersal outside their native range and spill-over back into native areas in terms of new varieties or product technologies.

The Chinese name for yacon now in use in Malaysia can be translated as “Snow lotus fruit”. Prices in the Cameron highlands vary between 7 and 20 Ringgit per kg (US$ 2-7). Such a high price could suggest that demand outstrips supply, a situation commonly found in slowly propagating species in an emerging market.

Interestingly, the pictured roots show cracks as in market displays in the Andes. The roots are quite brittle, and easily break upon extraction from the soil. This limits shelf life and is a supply constraint that needs to be addressed in yacon improvement. Unfortunately, yacon very rarely sets seeds, and current varieties are most likely ancient Andean farmer cultivars.

This publication brings together the traditional knowledge of the Chepang people regarding the wild edible and neglected plant species. Similarly, the proximate nutrient analysis of these plant species could be of great importance to demonstrate the value addition feasibility of these species. Description, uses, distribution and availability of wild edible plants gathered by this community is a first step towards the understanding and appreciation of the value of these neglected and underutilised forest resources.

Click here  to downlaod Chepang Food Culture

Interested postgraduate students can contact Danny directly at email hidden; JavaScript is required for further details, or click on the links below to find out more:
Master of Sustainable Agriculture programme
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