Is quinoa-farming sustainable in marginal environments? Social, economical and environmental aspects.
Mengen AT, Esenaliev D, Babadjanov J, John L, Schmöckel SM
Climate Adaptation
Quinoa's ability to grow on salty, drought-prone land could soon give smallholder farmers in some of the world's harshest regions a nutritious, sellable crop where almost nothing else survives.
Quinoa is a grain from the Andes that can handle conditions most crops can't — poor soils, dry spells, salty ground, and wild temperature swings. Researchers reviewed whether it could realistically become a new food crop in Central Asia's tough environments, looking beyond the plant itself at the economics and social realities farmers face. Their conclusion: quinoa genuinely could help, but only if governments follow through with market support, secure land rights for farmers, and long-term programs instead of one-off introductions.
Key Findings
Quinoa's broad genetic base confers tolerance to drought, salinity, and temperature extremes, making it biologically suited to marginal lands where most crops fail.
Initial quinoa cultivation trials in Central Asia show agronomic promise, but economic viability depends on reliable market access and sustained governmental or institutional support.
Socioeconomic factors — especially land tenure insecurity and rural out-migration — are identified as critical barriers to successful and sustainable quinoa adoption in marginal regions.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A new review finds that quinoa's exceptional tolerance to drought, salt, and heat makes it biologically well-suited for struggling farmlands in Central Asia, but long-term success hinges on supportive land policies and economic infrastructure as much as the plant's tough genetics.
Abstract Preview
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an Andean grain crop introduced as a novel crop to many parts of the world in recent years. Recognized for nutritious seeds and high abiotic stress tolerance, ...
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