Drought, frost, and salt tolerant, quinoa (pronounced \u2018key-noo-ah\u2019\u2026ed) isn\u2019t your average crop. It has been cultivated by Andean farmers for thousands of years. And it can grow up to 4000 metres altitude. It is also known for its healthy high plant protein content.<\/p>\n
In 1985 Sven-Erik Jacobsen fell in love with it. <\/p>\n
After finishing his Master\u2019s degree he was hired by a company interested in bringing new crops to Denmark. His job was to field test quinoa under Danish conditions, and show the demonstration plots to farmers.<\/p>\n
\u00bbOne thing is to work with Danish and European agriculture, but I became increasingly interested in the origins of quinoa,\u00ab Jacobsen says.<\/p>\n
After his PhD, Jacobsen began working with the International Potato Centre in Lima, Peru. In Peru, Jacobsen found that while quinoa was being cultivated everywhere around him, it was completely unknown as an object of plant research. No one was working with the crop. No one shared his new found passion.<\/p>\n
He convinced the director of the Centre to let him focus on quinoa. Straight away he began promoting quinoa in Denmark and South America. He spread the gospel of the wonder seed through newspaper articles and interviews.<\/p>\n
But with the increased international popularity of the seed – something that is also an indirect side-effect of Jacobsen and his colleagues\u2019 efforts – there has been a loss of biodiversity in the Andes. A once integrated system of livestock and crops has slowly become an intensified monoculture of quinoa.<\/p>\n
Jacobsen is concerned. However, he thinks the solution lies in using traditional knowledge to adapt and increase the plant\u2019s productivity, so less land will give the same produce. He also believes that a value must be placed on biodiversity in order to protect it.<\/p>\n
Between teaching at the T\u00e5strup campus, Jacobsen spends as much of his time in South America as possible. He works with farmers to help improve their techniques, and has been involved with bringing quinoa to the menus of restaurants in Lima.<\/p>\n
Sitting in his small office laden with colourful posters of the orphan plant, Jacobsen reflects on his long-term commitment.<\/p>\n
\u00bbYour desire has to be burning. It is important to study something you love. Some students want to study agriculture in the lab, but this is not how it should be.\u00ab<\/p>\n
Uni-avis@adm.ku.dk<\/p>\n