The potential of quinoa in Bolivia’s bioeconomy

The report analyzes Bolivia's quinoa sector through a 'value web' lens, identifying that while the country has high biocapacity and biodiversity, the industry remains heavily reliant on exporting bulk seeds. It highlights the underutilization of quinoa biomass—specifically saponins and residual stems/husks—and identifies critical gaps in public financing and knowledge exchange between industry and research institutions. The authors warn that current policies favoring specific varieties like quinoa real and organic monocultures may threaten biodiversity and climate resilience.

• Bolivia's quinoa sector is dominated by the commercialization of bulk seeds, with only a small fraction of biomass being processed into value-added products. Approximately 90% of total quinoa seeds are sold as bulk seeds, while only between 5% and 10% are transformed into value-added products.
• There is significant untapped potential in quinoa biomass beyond the seeds, particularly regarding saponins and residual plant matter. Saponins are currently used mainly in the domestic cosmetic industry for products like toothpaste and shampoo, but most are discarded as waste. Additionally, stems and husks, which make up 71% of total plant biomass, could potentially be used to produce thermal energy to replace fossil fuels.
• Current government policies and market preferences for specific varieties, such as the endemic white 'quinoa real', may be negatively impacting biodiversity and climate adaptation. The preference for white quinoa has led to the loss of other color varieties and the replacement of native crops like cañahua, which could reduce the capacity of farmers to adapt to climate change.
• The transition toward organic certification is driving a shift from sustainable crop rotation to monoculture. Farmers prefer monoculture to avoid cross-contamination with synthetic chemical inputs from other rotation crops, such as potatoes, which may not be part of a certified organic chain.
• Expansion of quinoa production in the southern altiplano has led to environmental degradation. The increase in production area from 58,000 hectares in 2010 to 110,000 hectares in 2017 has caused land use to shift from camelid grazing areas to quinoa, resulting in increased soil erosion.
• Public financing for the quinoa sector is heavily skewed toward primary production, leaving a gap in support for industrialization. While a US$ 22 million national plan was announced in April 2019, it focuses on farmers; there are currently no identified public incentives for the development of value-added products, as the government prioritizes farmers' associations over the private sector.
• Knowledge exchange between the quinoa industry and research institutions is severely limited. Most innovations in the food industry occur within private companies or via consultants, with few interactions with universities or public research institutes like INIAF or CIQ.

APA

Canales, N., Gomez, J., Fielding, M., & Dugarte, M. (2020). The potential of quinoa in Bolivia’s bioeconomy. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sei-report-quinoa-bolivia-bioeconomy-canales.pdf

Chicago

Canales, Nella, Juanita Gomez, Matthew Fielding, and Monique Dugarte. The potential of quinoa in Bolivia’s bioeconomy. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2020. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sei-report-quinoa-bolivia-bioeconomy-canales.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Canales |first1=Nella |last2=Gomez |first2=Juanita |last3=Fielding |first3=Matthew |last4=Dugarte |first4=Monique |title=The potential of quinoa in Bolivia’s bioeconomy |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=February 2020 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sei-report-quinoa-bolivia-bioeconomy-canales.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canales2020potential, author = {Canales, Nella and Gomez, Juanita and Fielding, Matthew and Dugarte, Monique}, title = {{The potential of quinoa in Bolivia’s bioeconomy}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2020}, month = feb, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sei-report-quinoa-bolivia-bioeconomy-canales.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }