Which crop will be the next quinoa?
National Geographic Daily News has shared an article discussing the future potential of heritage grains asking: which crop will be the next quinoa? The advantages and growing interest in traditional crops are discussed in terms of their ecological and nutritional attributes. Their ability to grow under low input conditions makes them a valuable resource for coping with climate change and appeals to consumers who increasingly demand organically grown food. Many of these grains also appeal to consumers because they are gluten free or have low glycemic index - properties that are increasingly in demand with rates of gluten intolerance and diabetes on the rise.
The article devotes a lot of attention to fonio - an ancient cereal grown in sub Saharan Africa that can produce under drought and low nutrient conditions. A video on fonio is presented alongside the article that shows traditional preparations of this cereal and an interview with Dr. Salimata Wade, Professor of Physiology and Human Nutrition at the University of Dakar. The article also discusses amaranth and native american rice in some detail.
The need for diversity
So, which crop will be the next quinoa? Fonio, millet, sorghum, wild rice, teff, spelt, Khorasan, einkorn, or one of the other 50,000 edible plant species? Perhaps just one crop is not the answer. The article features interview quotes from our own Stefano Padulosi emphasizing the need for a more diversified food basket. Our high dependence on rice, maize, and wheat puts food security at risk to crop pests and disease, climate change, and inbalanced nutrition. We may need more than just one new grain on the market.
Check out the full article by Andrea Stone and the video on the National Geographic webpage (link - here).
Related Publications
- Nutritious underutilized species - Fonio. Alercia 2013
- Nutritious underutilized species - Amaranth. Alercia 2013.
- Role of wild, neglected and underutilized foods in reducing the cost of a nutritionally adequate diet in the Eastern region of Baringo district, Kenya 27 February 2013. Poster by Termote et al 2013
- Underutilized species and climate change: current status and outlook. Padulosi et al 2011