Of the 7,000 plant species used as food in the world, only 150 are of commercial importance, and 103 of these account for 90% of global food production. Today, 2/3 of the calories consumed worldwide come from just 9 plant species, which are considered “key” by the food and agriculture industry. Wheat, rice and corn alone account for 56% of calories consumed.

In addition to the extinction of minor and under-utilized species, the systematic selection of varieties (within major species) for their high yield potential - at the expense of their nutritional traits, further accelerates the decline in biodiversity.

This biodiversity “erosion” in agriculture poses a serious threat to our food supply system and our health.

Quinoa belongs to a single domesticated botanical species (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), but there are five main types of quinoas, which are often misknown depending on the ecosystems in which they have developed.

Quinoa is a cultivated herbaceous plant native to the Andean region. It was domesticated around Lake Titicaca, at an altitude of 3,800 metres, around 7,000 years ago.

Morphological transformations due to human selection have produced a more compact inflorescence, increased stem and seed size, loss of seed dispersal mechanisms and high pigmentation.

Adapted to various ecological and social contexts through human migration, quinoa has spread throughout the Andes (Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia) and as far as the island of Chiloé, (of Chile).

Today, there are five major quinoa ecotypes, each adapted to specific agroecosystems (defined within a gradient of altitude and rainfall):

1. Altiplano quinoas (>3,800 m), around Lake Titicaca.
2. Quinoas of the Salars (salt lakes), mainly in southern Bolivia (Uyuni), northern Chile and Argentina, in high-altitude deserts.
3. Quinoas of the Inter-Andean Valleys, growing at altitudes of between 2,500 and 3,600 m, with rainfall of up to 1,000 mm/year.
4. Quinoas of the Yungas, in the subtropical forest valleys of Bolivia.
5. Coastal/sea-level quinoa (0-1500 m), found in south-central Chile.

Each of these 5 ecotypes displays enormous genetic diversity, which means that there are more than 6,000 farmers’ varieties in the Andean countries.

To fully exploit the biodiversity of minor quinoa varieties, it is essential to develop flexible de-saponification processes capable of handling grains of different colours, sizes and levels of saponins.

To this end, Qualinoa has developed an industrial pilot line that will soon enable the efficient de-saponification process of a given batch of quinoa (according to its grain characteristics), while meeting the needs of producers and importers in the market.

The intensification of agriculture in the 1960s, which structured the Green Revolution project – made heavy use of chemical inputs and mechanization. This modernization of agriculture favoured high-yielding varieties, which increased agricultural production, but also led to the loss of almost 80% of farmers' varieties of the main species planted. This reduction in biodiversity has also affected pollinating insects and birds.

To maintain a profitable business, farmers alone cannot bear the responsibility of preserving biodiversity. An agricultural policy that supports the “biodiversity of farmers'” is essential because even when these varieties are preserved ex situ in seed banks, it is not enough to ensure their survival.

Our current system, based on chemical agriculture, expansion of cultivated areas and mechanization, relies on seed banks for the improvement and creation of new varieties. But this model is fixed and does not allow seeds to evolve with their predators and diseases in the natural environment. Farmers' varieties constantly evolve with their environment: this is what we call “dynamic conservation”.

The biodiversity of quinoa is essentially maintained by farmers in their fields, supplemented by quinoa collections stored in germplasm banks. This genetic diversity is key in order to develop new varieties suitable for global farming on all continents. Thanks to their know-how and experience, farmers are constantly selecting and improving “farmers' varieties”, as well as “modern” varieties to meet the specific requirements and constraints of their farming systems.

This dynamic approach to biodiversity strengthens quinoa's adaptation and resilience against growing environmental challenges. It also opens up new prospects for diversifying quinoa farming worldwide, supporting its expansion into more than 125 countries. By recognizing and supporting the crucial role of farmers in this process, we are strengthening quinoa's ability to adapt and thrive in changing conditions, while preserving its nutritional richness for future generations.

Today, only a dozen quinoa varieties are registered in the European seed bank for farming and trade. They all originate from Andean genetic resources and have been adapted to the European climate.

But this extremely limited range of varieties contrasts with the 6,000 that exist in the Andes, and makes farmers dependent on 2-3 seed companies in Europe. Moreover, downstream, the market is dominated by a handful of large importers (4-5), who manage the distribution of quinoa through various channels (from specialist stores to supermarkets and e-commerce).

These 2 factors make it difficult for independent quinoa farmers (who are not organized into cooperatives) to have a say on how to grow their fields and conduct business.

On the consumer end, the varieties grown in France and Europe are mainly high-yielding “mild” varieties. However, these varieties have heterogeneous nutritional profiles, and when taken individually, none of them is perfectly well-rounded. And some varieties remain prone to bitterness due to the presence of residual saponins after the brushing phase.

In order to address these issues, Qualinoa supports farmers by:

• giving them access to a wide range of quinoa varieties.
• helping them evaluate the quinoa varieties that are best suited to their farming conditions.
• working with reliable and experienced actors in the industry to ensure market opportunities.
• developing food innovations to diversify quinoa usages.

We have reduced the biodiversity on which our diet is based to just a few major species (wheat, rice, corn, etc.), and lost many varieties within each of these species, while degrading the nutritional value of those that remain. Modern varieties, although highly productive, are more prone to disease and pests, which is why they need more chemicals or organic inputs and water to reach their expected yields. However, climate change is making these varieties extremely vulnerable, as they have lost their ability to cope with unpredictable and extreme shifts in their environment.

We have progressively selected varieties for controlled environments, but climate change is creating more uncertainty as extreme events are becoming more and more frequent (temperature, salinity, rainfall, etc.). Furthermore, our selection for high yielding crops has always favoured the quantity of food produced rather than their nutritional quality. So, if yields fall due to a changing climate, the nutritional needs of our growing world population will no longer be met. Half of China is already considered desertic, where agriculture is impossible, and is one of the reasons why the country seeks to acquire land in Africa - to ensure its food security.

Therefore, it is crucial to turn to minor and hardy species such as quinoa, which can grow in difficult conditions. Agronomic research on these species show that they can offer a significant and very rapid return on investment, compared with the extremely limited results that can be expected from major species, some of which have already reached their full potential.

Quinoa varieties for human consumption vary greatly in terms of nutritional quality. The majority of quinoas exported from the Andes have large white beans (85%), which have been standardized for international trade, while a large number of minor varieties, often with exceptional nutritional qualities, are excluded from global supply chains.

Manufacturers prefer to process only standardized, large-grain varieties to reduce their post-harvest processing costs, creating a funnel effect on the diversity of varieties grown by Andean farmers. Minor varieties thus regularly disappear as international outlets select specific varietal types which conditions the farmers’ crop choices.

It is crucial to characterize more precisely the nutritional composition of each quinoa variety in order to understand its specificities and the constraints it faces in terms of farming and use. This detailed knowledge of all varieties is essential if we are to continue to diversify quinoa's potential uses, making full use of the nutritional and technological qualities of minor varieties that are often neglected on the world market.

Andean quinoa is traditionally cultivated by hand among local families, with mechanization limited to soil preparation prior to sowing. In Europe, quinoa cultivation is highly mechanized at every stage, and relies on high-yield varieties that require chemical inputs. Even in organic (mechanized) farming, GHG emissions per kg of quinoa grown in Europe are higher than those of imported Andean quinoa, despite transport by container ship, which accounts for less than 5% of the end product's total environmental footprint (Source: Netherlands study / Pablo's Quinoa revolución).

This is due to the presence of goosefoot, a wild cousin of quinoa, in European cereal crops. To get rid of goosefoot, European farmers must rely on agricultural machinery for weed management and harvesting, especially when wet seasons occur. In addition to its impact on climate change through Green House Emissions (GHE), it should be pointed out that 2/3 of quinoa production in France relies on conventional farming rather than organic farming.

Qualinoa’s support for quinoa farmers is based on agro-ecological practices, such as increasing the density of sowing in order to better manage weeds, crop associations to limit the need for machinery, and multi-year crop rotation.

To meet future food needs while adapting to climate change, agronomic research is targeting hardy species that require low levels of inputs and water, while offering high concentrations of nutrients. Among the 20 superfood species identified by NASA, quinoa is in the top three for its high protein level and its good balance of all essential amino acids. Unlike traditional cereals such as rice or wheat, which often need to be combined with legumes (lentils, beans, etc.) to supplement their low amino acid levels, these superfoods provide a balanced supply of all the micro and macro nutrients required to meet human dietary needs.

Quinoa has remarkable agronomic potential, with a significant multiplier effect: a single grain can produce up to 500 grams, given that the average weight of 1,000 grains is 3g. This compares with around 40 to 50 grains on an ear of wheat from the sowing of a single grain, given that growing wheat requires 600 to 800 mm of water, compared with 200 to 400 mm for quinoa!

Investing in research to develop new varieties of these minor species could further increase their productivity and strengthen their adaptation to changing climatic conditions, while enhancing their nutritional potential to ensure global food security.

The bitterness of quinoa grains is due to the natural presence of saponins (a natural soap) on the outer layer of the grain. The wide genetic diversity of quinoa varieties leads to a variation in saponin levels, from so-called "sweet" varieties containing very little saponin (<0.12%) to bitter varieties containing much more (>1%).

Since 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has set a regulatory standard in its Food CODEX, which states that saponin levels must not exceed 0.12% for the trade of quinoa grains. Therefore, bitter varieties require cleaning operations (dry and wet) to lower their saponin level below this threshold. These operations are now well mastered by the agro-industry, enabling the bitterness of some varieties to be completely eliminated.

On the other hand, for the varieties that are considered sweet and are already below the regulatory threshold, they do not require any cleaning operations under international regulations. As a result, some sweet varieties (with no compulsory washing) may paradoxically have a more bitter taste than naturally bitter varieties that have been properly washed before being commercialized.

In Europe, the selection of quinoa varieties has been focused on milder varieties in order to limit the need for costly post-harvest operations. Several mild varieties are cultivated by simply brushing the grains to make them brighter, but without eliminating residual saponins. As a result of this process, these sweet/mild varieties may appear bitter to some sensitive consumers, unlike well-washed Andean varieties.

A frequent criticism of quinoa imports from the Andean region is that they reduce food availability for the Andeans and increase local prices by aligning them with world rates.

However, quinoa production in Bolivia and Peru has risen sharply over the past 15 years, with an ever-increasing share destined for domestic consumption despite a steady increase in exports. For example, Peru's average per capita consumption of quinoa has doubled in 15 years, while its exports have tripled.

Regarding prices, the quinoa sold on local markets in the Andes is not subject to the same quality requirements than the quinoa destined for export, enabling local varieties of quinoa to remain available at affordable prices. Andeans buy “raw” quinoa and use traditional methods at home to de-saponify it before consumption.