Introduction To The Quinoa Dilemma-Quinoapanel
Introduction To The Quinoa Dilemma-Quinoapanel
program related to support the original people of Mapuche was initiated, seeds of
quinoa were distributed freely. This led to an increased quinoa production and the
society experienced a better income for involved farmers, local development and
even some export of quinoa (Valdivia and Hocd, 2009).
In this century, production has raised, mostly in Bolivia, Peru and some in Ecuador.
The global production counted from these three principal countries nearly doubled
from 2001 45,9 to 80,2 thousand of metric tons in 2011 as shown in figure 1.
Figure 1. Global production of quinoa nearly doubled from 2001 to 2011. FAO
statistic cited in Reyes, 2013.
Organic standards of Royal Quinoa (in Spanish: Quinua Real) with bigger grains and
white tan emerged for sure in 1992 and represented 70 % of the Bolivian export in
2004 (Laguna,2005).
In the same decade, demands from importing countries went up. Mainly markets in
EU and USA have grown, please see figure 2. Laguna et.al.(2006) concludes that
this mainly is a buyer-driven development and Smulders et.al. (2015) states that
the consumer group in Europe is very loyal to the product even when the prices has
risen. Part of the explanation is that vegetarian consumers buy plant-protein and
compare the price to the one of meat.
Figure 2. Global import demand for quinoa in millions of US dollars grouped into
USA, EU- 27 old countries, Canada and other countries. Reyes, 2013.
During these years, the prices paid to producers have doubled in Peru and Bolivia
like it is shown in figure 3.
Figure 3: Quinoa producer prices in US dollars per ton in Peru and Bolivia in the
period from 2001 to 2010. FAO statistics cited in Reyes, 2013.
Figure 1,2 and 3 illustrates what popular is called the quinoa boom. Why quinoa
has experienced this boom could be explained by some reasons for applying it to
the diet.
Faced with the challenge of increasing the production of quality food to feed the
world's growing population the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 the
"International Year of Quinoa". FAO promotes quinoa for its adaptability to
extreme climate conditions and at the same time acknowledge the Andean people
for being guarantees for the conservation of this brilliant crop. It seems to offer a
solution for food sovereignty and security in vulnerable areas.
Farmers especially in Bolivia have managed to organize and find their way to a
global market (Laguna et.al. 2006). Bolivia is among the poorest countries in the
world referring to living standards. However the income from quinoa has led to
improvements in housing and stopped emigration from the Altiplano to Chapare in
the lowland. Chapare was earlier the center of coca-production for drugs,
something that Bolivia earlier was associated with (Laguna et.al., 2006). On the
other hand it is doubtful if it has led to improvements in the rural diet. There is
some evidence that high nutritive quinoa is retracted in preference of inferior and
cheap food items like refined pasta and polished rice (Jacobsen, 2011).
2. Discussion.
Some reasons and justifications linked to sustainable cultivation and consumption
was given above. Turning to other aspects of sustainable management some
challenges and conflicts still appears.
Some examples are given:
2.1. Conservation of ecosystem in the Altiplano.
Bolivia is with 80 different ecosystems one of the richest countries in the world.
Referring to the ecosystem on the Altiplano it is fragile because of exposure to
erosion caused by wind and too heavy soil preparation. The increased economic
benefit from quinoa production has caused a rush for more arable land. The rush to
get access to more land that is arable for quinoa leads to displacement of
camelids, misbalancing soil nutrition by animal manure. Please see other
presentation in the panel for more information.
2.2. Rights to genetic diversity.
Turning to conservation of genetic resources of quinoa and rights linked to diversity
it is an issue with many complicated facets as well. The demand on quinoa has
retracted landraces and promoted only few varieties in Ecuador. This case is
highlighted in another presentation in the panel.
In Bolivia lack of confidence to the state authorities led to an uprising where the
Patamaya research station with 1900 seed samples were burned and lost in 1998
(Rojas et.al. 2011). Still no investigation is recovered (Lopez, 2013) neither is it
recommended to get close to Patamaya research station in vehicles which can be
associated with state officials (Hamilton, 2014). One may ask if genetic resources
are save enough conserved ex-situ places like this?
Another case referring to rights on genetic resources is the patent taken on
`Apelawa` by two North American researchers from Colorado State University in
1994. This concerned a spontaneous mutation with male sterile flowers of
Apelawa and some other 43 varieties. Complains to UN and intense work by the
Bolivian Cooperation ANAPQUI followed. The researchers in USA renounced the
patent before it expired in 2011 (RAFI, 1998).
Similarly appeared a conflict in Chile where the company Semillas Baer was given
32 varieties and participated in the programme distributing quinoa to Mapuches.
The Mapuches are now claiming their entitlement to quinoa varieties and
protesting against patent on the variety Regalona Baer. The patent runs from
2011 til 2016 (Sepulveda Ruiz, 2011).
The president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, declared all intellectual rights related to
quinoa belonged to the Bolivian people, law number 098 from 2011(Anon. a.,
2015).
These actions and statements are maybe the most complicated conflict taken place
between global and single state interests.
2.3. Competition between countries.
Economic interests are not restricted to the case mentioned on genetic resources.
The contributions to the panel includes as well a presentation on the future
scenarios for Andean quinoa. Scenarios with prosperity or collapse of the Andean
quinoa. Please look it up for more information.
Introducing the quinoa dilemma, the conflict between the two principally
producing countries of quinoa in Bolivia and Peru is severe. Peruvian quinoa riles
the Bolivians when it is smuggled into their country and tried sold in organic
standard and price. The Bolivians burned 23 tons in 2014 (Valdez and Bajak, 2014).
The two countries have a quinoa war going on (Rivera, 2014). The harvest of
quinoa saws social conflicts in the Altiplano (Azcui, 2014).
It is assumed that between Europe and LAC some interests are conflicting too. The
paradox is that quinoa was promoted for closing the gap for food security among
poor people living in harsh conditions. Instead, wealthy consumers concerned about
their own health and fitness embrace it. One may not know if this is a driver for
development or a wrong derivation.
3. Conclusion.
For respective dilemmas lined up previous some suggestions to get closer to
sustainability can be made:
- Encouragement to conservation of the ecosystem in the Altiplano needs technical
and agronomic attempts like training in right ways of making and using compost,
prevention of erosion by providing and planting perennials or bushes. This should
be obligated farmers connected trusted organic and fair trade brands.
Quinoa as special commodity like Royal Quinoa may in the future be a way to
distinguish and maintain Andean quinoa as something attractive and pure.
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