Quinoa, a resilient and nutritious grain, is gaining popularity worldwide. It is a complete protein and contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, fiber and fatty acids. But it is native to the Andean Plateau and South American governments are leery of letting plant breeders from other countries develop hybrids that would thrive in less arid regions.
“The Quinoa Quarrel,” appearing in Harper’s Magazine, describes the potential of quinoa to become a widely grown crop that could help feed the 9 bln people forecast as the world’s population by 2050. The article was produced in partnership with the Food and Environment Reporting Network. Impoverished Bolivia regard quinoa as part of its patrimony and has a policy that forbids the germplasm with others. It is a standoff of “the poor of the Andes pitted against the poor of the world,” writes author Lisa Hamilton.