FAO Photo

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, November 2014 – Since the international community celebrated the International Year of the Quinoa,in 2013, the crop has been singled out by FAO for its high nutritive value, impressive biodiversity and agro-climatic adaptation, as well as the important role it could play in the achievement of food and nutrition security in Africa.

A First Regional Network on Quinoa was launched on 24 November 2014 at a Training Workshop on Field Experimentation, Production, Postharvest Management and Utilization of Quinoa in the Eastern Africa subregion.

The Addis Ababa based-FAO Sub-regional Office for Eastern Africa (FAOSFE) which sponsored the event noted the participants’ willingness to contribute their expertise, experience and ideas to help advance the development of quinoa in Africa.

The crop has value for Africa

The cultivation of quinoa in Africa can provide an opportunity for commodity diversification, especially for countries with domestic food supply challenges that affect household food and nutrition security. “However, the ‘super food’, best known in South America, remains unfamiliar to many people in the region both from the agronomic and food/nutrition perspectives and integration into local diets”, noted FAO Officials in Addis Ababa.

FAO in collaboration with the national Governments through the Ministries of Agriculture, intend to encourage quinoa consumption and has allocated financial resources under the FAO technical cooperation project (TCP) facility for the implementation of a pilot project titled, “Technical assistance for strengthening of the food systems of quinoa”. It is the first regionally coordinated effort towards the development and promotion of quinoa in the region.

The project will be implemented in seven countries namely:  Djibouti,   Ethiopia,   Kenya,   Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Zambia. The subregional office for Eastern Africa is responsible for overall coordination and management while working closely with the respective FAO country teams.

Key outputs targeted include:

(1) Potential quinoa varieties and ecotypes identified/introduced;

(2) Quinoa varieties and ecotypes are screened for agro-ecological adaptability and nutritional acceptability in the region;

(3) Capacities of partners’ technical staff and other stakeholders are strengthened in quinoa evaluation, production and utilisation.

Recognizing that the development of quinoa in the long term requires sustainable strategies, strong capacities and extended regional collaboration, the seven countries have established a regional network as a formal collaboration mechanism for quinoa development in the region. According to Mr Mathew Abang, Lead Technical Officer of the project, the network will aim at developing and promoting a regional program on quinoa that addresses production and nutrition as well as gender equity and youth issues. 

Contact:

Eddy P. Donkeng

Communication, FAOSFE

Email: [email protected]; Mob: +251 924 132360