In effect, quinoa, as a fashionable food in the West, is being blamed for endangering farmers' food sovereignty. Nevertheless, this economic bonanza has generated some controversy.

The golden grain of the Andes went from being a product consumed on the farm to an export product, which helped improve living conditions for growers. Therefore the primary consumers are people in countries that import it, like the United States and countries in Europe. Currently in Bolivia, quinoa is served mainly in tourist and vegetarian restaurants. It currently generates more than 50 million dollars in exports, making Bolivia the foremost quinoa exporter.Īlthough this plant is native to the Andes, it was not customarily consumed by city residents since it was considered a peasant food. These nutritional values make it a food jewel.Īnnual quinoa production in Bolivia has increased from 6,000 to 44,000 tons in ten years. It does not contain gluten and is the only food plant that contains all the essential amino acids for a healthy diet. It is resistant to low temperatures, climate change, diseases and drought it contains minerals, and its caloric intake is greater than eggs, milk and meat. Quinoa is a herbaceous plant grown in the Andean Altiplano for more than 7,000 years.

Bolivia's President Evo Morales told the UN General Assembly that quinoa 'is a gift from Mother Earth,' which has turned into one of the proposals by Andean people faced with a food crisis. On February 20, 2013, the United Nations declared the official launch of the International Year of Quinoa.

Golden grains farm