A. inevitable B. reversed C. complications D. fueled E. dramatically F. access G. devoted H. exports I. yield J. thrives K. organic |
Quinoa, of which both the seeds and leaves can be edible, is a crop native to the Andes Mountains. It took off in richer countries in the 1990s after NASA researchers recommended it as part of a potential space-colony diet. Over the past decade, quinoa, one of the leading crops that on Bolivia's high plains, 13,000 ft. above sea level, has become a premier product for foodies, health nuts and fair-trade enthusiasts. The gluten-free staple - in Bolivia it is produced solely by small-scale farmers and 90% is - often decorates plates from celebrity chefs like Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay and has inspired entire cookbooks to Salads, soups and stuffing boasting its nutritional goodness. It's an unaccustomed role for such a humble crop, which poorer Bolivians often grew and ate instead of buying rice. "It was always comida para los indios (food for Indians)," says Benjamin Huarachi, a member of the board of Bolivia's largest quinoa growers' association, "Today it's food for the world's richest."
It also provides food for thought about the that arise when rich nations try to support farmers in the developing world. The colorful tall tufts(丛生植物), which one of the healthiest foods on the planet, have become Huarachi's golden goose. As global food prices have risen, the price of quinoa has tripled in the past five years, to $1 per lb., a benefit to growers in the poorest region of South America's poorest country. "Now we've got tractors for our fields and parabolic antennas(抛物面天线)for our homes," he says.
And trouble with the neighbors. In an economy dependent on unsteady commodity , quinoa has made farmers richer, but it has also become an out-of-reach luxury for many Bolivians and violent conflict. In February hundreds of farmers clashed over prime quinoa-growing territory, and dozens were injured. The high price of quinoa has cut domestic consumption, sparking concerns about malnutrition, with many farmers scrambling to export all their quinoa, even supplementing their diets with foods like pasta.
The series of problems raises concerns about whether the satisfying act of buying fair trade—which aims to help small farmers gain to higher-end consumers abroad—can do more harm than good for the poor in developing countries. "When you transform a food into a commodity, there's breakdown in social relations and high environmental cost," says Tanya Kerssen, a food-policy analyst for the food and development institute Food First, based in Oakland, Calif.