General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Food Stamps ***Rant*** [View all]dkf
(37,305 posts)If we aimed aid at the best foods maybe we could replace corn and create economies of scale.
Quinoa would be perfect.
http://blog.mediaglobal.org/?p=703
Named the International Year of Quinoa, in an effort to highlight the healthy grain-like crop and acknowledge its indigenous growers, the year 2013 is going to be a nutritionally satisfying one, according to the Bolivian government and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Last December, the FAO accepted Bolivias proposal to focus on quinoa in 2013, and a group gathered at the UN today to discuss the initiative further.
The grain has always been a staple in Andean meals, and it recently became a popular choice on plates worldwide. As part of the International Year of Quinoa, food security, agriculture, and nutrition experts want to work together to make sure traditional growers can keep up with rising demand, and that the crop can continue to feed millions even as a rising population and growing food shortages make eradicating hunger a formidable challenge.
One of the things that makes quinoa a super food is its resilience and variety. There are more than 1,800 different types of quinoa that can be grown under a variety of sometimes harsh conditions. In an environment where climate change and natural disasters are threatening many traditional types of agriculture, heartiness is a much-desired quality in any crop.