Overview

Over the past 20 years, quinoa an ancient grain of the Andes, has enjoyed a boom in popularity within developed countries.  Export quinoa fetches a good price, but that can make it too expensive for local people, threatening them with malnutrition. And because it can be a lucrative crop, farmers are tempted to abandon ancient and sustainable practices.  In addition, global demand has favored a single variety, which has threatened other varieties of the grain with extinction.  While malnutrition and environmental degradation need to be considered when thinking about the quinoa boom, this case examines just one of the trade-offs. Can quinoa help to improve the livelihoods of the poor farmers who grow it without leading to genetic erosion?