"online celebrity" quinoa under food security: It has the potential to become a new staple food.

  In recent years, quinoa has been labeled as "slimming" and "healthy" and has become a popular food in online celebrity. In fact, not only the nutritional value, but also the economic and ecological benefits of quinoa are of extraordinary strategic significance in the long run.

  Quinoa, which originated in the Andes of South America, has been settled in China for 35 years. Because of its excellent characteristics, many professionals think it has the "potential" to become a new staple food in the future.

  Kambuzhaxi, a professor at Tibet Agriculture and Animal Husbandry College, has been engaged in plateau quinoa research for more than 30 years. He told the First Financial Reporter that quinoa is a "golden grain" specially recommended by FAO, and the only single plant can meet all the basic nutritional needs of the human body. It will play an important role in eliminating hunger, malnutrition and poverty. In addition, it has natural stress tolerance (saline-alkali resistance, drought resistance, low temperature resistance and barren resistance), and can be planted on a large number of marginal lands to alleviate the pressure of ecological damage caused by grain production increase. These advantages are enough to make policy makers look at it differently.

  From introduction experiment to industrial planting

  In 1985, Bolivia, located in South America, gave quinoa to China as a national gift. Therefore, China became one of the first countries in the world to introduce and grow quinoa from South America, and the first area in China was Xizang Autonomous Region.

  Gombuzhaxi said that quinoa originated from Lake Titicaca in the Andes of South America, which is located on the Keao Plateau, with an altitude of more than 3,800 meters, close to that of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The two places belong to the plateau climate, and the geographical environment is almost the same, with little rain and cool, which is suitable for the introduction of quinoa. "There are many barren soils in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and quinoa is an ideal crop that can be widely promoted."

  In 1987, Kampot Tashi came into contact with quinoa seeds and began to try to introduce quinoa. Subsequently, a small-scale trial planting in Tibet was successful.

  Before the industrial planting of quinoa, it was a silence for more than 10 years. Gombuzhaxi explained: "After the successful trial planting in Tibet, limited transportation conditions, low consumption level and insufficient understanding of quinoa are not enough to support the industrialization of quinoa."

  However, during this period, Wu Xiangyun, whose WeChat name is "King of Quinoa" and who is called "Uncle Chenopodium", chose to try planting quinoa many times, and finally succeeded in breeding in Hengshan Mountain in Shanxi Province in 2010. Subsequently, he tried to plant quinoa in the village of Shupo Township, Jingle County, Shanxi Province, and achieved good results. Wu Xiangyun has thus become "the first person to plant quinoa industrially in China".

  Wu Xiangyun said that his major and industry are all related to agriculture. In November 1993, he began to pay attention to quinoa under the influence of an article on the all-round research of quinoa by NASA. Later, he discovered that the world’s top 500 food companies, such as Nestle and General Mills, were all involved in the research and production of quinoa products. After many international visits and interviews with many quinoa experts, Wu Xiangyun strengthened his confidence in promoting the market-oriented cultivation of quinoa in China and established Shanxi Jiaqi Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd.

  Wu Xiangyun told the First Financial Reporter that the most crucial step in the industrialization of quinoa is to cultivate suitable varieties. From 2008 to 2011, their work was mainly carried out around selection, breeding and exploring planting techniques. After the successful trial planting, we began to try large-scale planting.

  Due to the pioneering of quinoa industrial planting and the strong support and promotion of Jingle county government, in 2013, the total planting scale of quinoa in Jingle county was expanded to 10,000 mu. In the ranking of non-native planting area in the world, Jingle county ranked second only to the United States and became the third largest quinoa planting base in the world. In August of the same year, Jingle County was awarded the title of "Hometown of Quinoa in China" by the Flower and Food Professional Committee of China Food Industry Association.

  More and more attention is paid to quinoa internationally, and it is regarded as "super food". In December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to designate 2013 as the "International Year of Quinoa", aiming to draw the world’s attention to the role that the biodiversity and nutritional value of quinoa can play in providing food and nutritional security and eradicating poverty.

  The development momentum of quinoa industry is getting stronger and stronger.

  After the "International Year of Quinoa", quinoa has also attracted the attention of mainstream international scientists, and the basic biological research on quinoa has really begun. In China, the fans of quinoa have gradually increased, and the industrial development momentum has become more and more fierce. More than 20 provinces in China have carried out quinoa experiments and planting.

  According to the statistics of Quinoa Professional Committee of China Crop Society, since 2013, the planting area of quinoa in China has increased at an average annual rate of more than 30%. At present, the total planting area of quinoa in China is about 200 thousand mu.

  During the trial planting in these years, quinoa has also successfully moved from high altitude to plain. Due to the great improvement of growth conditions, some quinoa varieties with active growth can realize double cropping and continuous cropping in one year.

  From March to November, 2019, Shanghai Plant Stress Biology Research Center of China Academy of Sciences carried out the introduction, demonstration planting and variety selection of quinoa in Kashgar, Xinjiang, which successfully realized the planting of quinoa in the arid Gobi desert at low altitude for the first time, and also realized it twice a year in China for the first time. Through spring sowing and summer sowing, the yield per mu was nearly 1,000 kg.

  At the same time, the market demand of quinoa is strong, which also greatly promotes the production and processing of quinoa. In July 2015, the former State Grain Bureau issued the first quality standard of quinoa rice in China, LS/T 3245-2015, which can provide quality control basis for the production of quinoa rice and help to promote the orderly development of processed ingredients of quinoa rice.

  In addition, the application prospect of quinoa in China is not only edible, but also used for industrial development, such as lipstick, shampoo, body lotion and other cosmetic raw materials. The saponins in quinoa have a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities, which can be used as natural sweeteners, flavor enhancers and antioxidants, and will also play an important role in agriculture, medicine and other fields.

  In order to meet the domestic market demand, China has also liberalized the import of quinoa from the country of origin. On July 16, 2019, the General Administration of Customs issued Announcement No.120 of 2019 — — Announcement on Inspection and Quarantine Requirements for Imported Quinoa from Peru. Since the date of the announcement, it is allowed to import quinoa grains (including peeled quinoa seeds, quinoa powder and quinoa cereal) grown and processed in Peru.

  Significance of quinoa in the context of food security

  In recent years, quinoa has been highly praised for its "health" and "weight loss". Under the impact of new media propaganda, Ren Changyan, general manager of Shanghai Minlong Industrial Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Minlong Industry") also came into contact with quinoa.

  Although it is only in the last two or three years, Ren Changyan found that this industry has developed rapidly. Based on her keen intuition in the food processing industry for many years, she believes that there should be great room for future development of quinoa. As Minlong Industry actively responded to the call for aid to Xinjiang in 2010 and participated in Shanghai’s counterpart aid to Xinjiang, it was the first batch of Shanghai enterprises to help Xinjiang settle in Kashgar. When the quinoa project was demonstrated and planted in Kashgar in 2019, Ren Changyan became interested.

  She said that as a Shanghai enterprise that has invested in Kashgar for 10 years, Minlong Industry has the ability and is willing to do a good job in deep processing of quinoa. At present, enterprises are developing new quinoa products such as light meal powder and energy bar.

  The motivation for food enterprises to actively participate in the field of deep processing stems from the characteristics of quinoa itself and the market value of quinoa products. Quinoa seed can meet the basic nutritional needs of adults, and has a long-term and significant effect on improving the nutritional and health status of the population in poor areas. It is also a good food source for the elderly, diabetics, fitness and gluten-sensitive people. However, because the global output of quinoa is far from meeting the demand, the price of raw grain of quinoa is more than 10 times that of wheat in the current international market.

  The selection of the above-mentioned quinoa project for trial planting in Kashgar is of great strategic significance for ensuring national food security and ecological security.

  Zhu Jiankang, director of Shanghai Plant Stress Biology Research Center of China Academy of Sciences and academician of American Academy of Sciences, said in an exclusive interview with CBN reporter that quinoa contains high protein and balanced nutrition, which is comparable to meat, eggs and milk in terms of protein content and quality. If people can ingest more protein from quinoa crops, the demand for meat, eggs and milk will be reduced accordingly, thus slowing down the import of foreign soybeans and soybean meal, and the path of transforming protein through aquaculture is obviously inefficient. From the point of view of providing protein, although quinoa is only a special minority crop at present, the domestic planting area is less than 200,000 mu, but from the perspective of its development momentum, it still has great potential.

  He said: "I believe quinoa will become a new staple food variety in the future, but at present, there is still a long way to go." Moreover, for the two kinds of rations, wheat and rice, the people have formed corresponding eating habits for many years and have certain dependence. Quinoa will not completely replace a staple food, but only partially. "

  Zhang Hui, a part-time researcher at the Shanghai Plant Stress Biology Research Center of China Academy of Sciences, told the First Financial Reporter that quinoa has remarkable stress tolerance, so it can cultivate suitable varieties in saline-alkali land and arid and semi-arid areas, and then use a lot of marginal land for planting, which is equivalent to increasing the available arable land in disguise. At the same time, planting Chenopodium album saves a lot of fresh water resources, which is very rare for arid areas in northwest China. From the point of view of developing animal husbandry, the whole plant of quinoa has high protein content and good quality. As dry feed or silage, the effect of promoting milk production of cattle and sheep is not lower than other high-quality forage. If quinoa can be successfully introduced, its significance to food security will be limitless.

  At present, there are still bottlenecks in the industrialization of quinoa in China. For example, due to low output, prices remain high; In the process of planting, there is no herbicide available, so manual weeding is needed, which greatly increases the planting cost, and there is also a seasonal shortage of manpower. The supporting machinery needed for planting has not been well solved.

  But Wu Xiangyun also said that breeding is actually the fundamental way to solve these problems, especially resistance, yield and herbicide tolerance, which can be solved through breeding.

[You look good when you smile] Three smiling faces tell their stories about poverty alleviation.

  foreword

  The year 2020 is the year when a well-off society is built in an all-round way and the 13th Five-Year Plan ends. In order to show the moving scenes, innovative practices and highlights of the deep poverty-stricken areas in the western region in overcoming difficulties and taking off their hats on the journey to a well-off society, it reflects the people’s sense of gain, happiness and security in the western region. Sponsored by the Network News and Information Dissemination Bureau of the Central Network Information Office, co-organized by Chongqing Municipal Committee Network Information Office, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Party Committee Network Information Office, Sichuan Provincial Committee Network Information Office, Yunnan Provincial Committee Network Information Office, Gansu Provincial Committee Network Information Office, Qinghai Provincial Committee Network Information Office, and hosted by Hualong. com, "You smile so beautifully — — The theme activity of "Decisive Fight against Poverty and See the West" was launched on August 3, and the achievements of poverty alleviation will be displayed through short videos, H5, MV and other forms.

  On August 4th, the national online media reporters watched Wushan in the cloud, walked into the rich leaders emerging from the poverty alleviation in Wushan County, and listened to their struggle stories in the front line of poverty alleviation.

  Once a taste of the vast sea, I feel that the water in other places is pale; Once you have experienced the cloud of Wushan, you feel that the clouds elsewhere are eclipsed.

  Wushan County is located at the intersection of Daba Mountain, Wushan Mountain and Qiyao Mountain. Because of its excellent ecology, profound cultural heritage and numerous scenic spots, scholars and poets in past dynasties have written starry poems for Wushan and Wushan Goddess. However, due to its remote location and traffic congestion, most of these unique resources are "raised in boudoir", and the industrial development is weak, so it has become a national key poverty alleviation and development county.

  After the new round of poverty alleviation campaign started, Wushan conducted a comprehensive screening of the rural population in the county and identified 120 poor villages, with a poverty incidence rate of 13.7%. In the face of these data, Wushan takes the power of the whole county to fill the shortcomings of infrastructure and pave the way for the industry, and develop green industries according to local conditions to drum up the pockets of the masses … …

  In August 2018, Wushan officially withdrew from the national key poverty alleviation and development counties. The smiling faces of these poverty-stricken people are clear, sincere or simple, and every fine line engraved on the smiling face tells the hard work and harvest of the local people trying to get rid of poverty.

  Gong Keyan. Photo courtesy of Rong Media News Center in Wushan County, Chongqing

  The way to get rich is "stewed eggs and beauty"

  The mountain road is winding and beautiful. Along the 301 provincial highway on the south side of Wuxiakou, you can see a brand-new white building eight or nine kilometers away. Before you get close, the strong smell of lo mei comes with the wind.

  This is the well-known "Yanjie Farmhouse", which is a "service area" for tourists and drivers to rest and a "transit station" to drive villagers out of poverty. The owner of the farmhouse is Gong Keyan, who is known as "the beauty of stewed eggs". She not only walked out of the "road to get rich on the tip of the tongue" with her own hands, but also drove the surrounding villagers out of poverty.

  In 2008, Gong Keyan bid farewell to her working life in Shenzhen and returned to her hometown. She and her husband built a water station in front of their own door next to the provincial road to add water to cars, earning about 10 thousand yuan a year.

  Gradually, while adding water to their cars, they opened a snack bar to sell salted eggs to drivers and passengers passing by, and their business became more and more prosperous. After tasting the sweetness, they carried out "expanded reproduction" and developed dishes such as braised pig’s trotters, braised tofu, braised beef, dried tofu, braised konjac and braised duck neck.

  Last year, Gong Keyan and his wife built a small building across the street from the old house. The snack bar "Braised Eggs and Xishi", which has been in operation for 11 years, has been transformed into "Yanjie Farmhouse". Not only has the store expanded to more than 200 square meters, but the dining table has also increased from 8 to 12. After expanding the size of the store, Gong Keyan and his wife added homestay business on the basis of snack bars to attract left-behind women and poor households in the village to find jobs.

  "My family lives nearby and works here. It costs 2,500 yuan a month, which is better than farming." Gong Cuilan, who works in the store, told the reporter that at present, the eight employees in the store are all nearby villagers, and the monthly salary of 2,500 yuan and the treatment of free meals have obviously improved their lives.

  Sitting in the new shop with clean windows, customers can see the beautiful scenery of "Wushan Yunyu" through the window, and they can feast their eyes on it while enjoying their food. Nowadays, "Beauty in Stewed Eggs" has become a business card for Wushan to become self-reliant and become rich and well-off.

  Gong Keyan calculated that in the future, her "Yanjie Farmhouse" will also make efforts in management and service, and lead more people to become rich and well-off.

  Nie Zhanghua. Photo courtesy of Rong Media News Center in Wushan County, Chongqing

  Abandoned pomegranate forest turned into urban landscape tree

  Lifting seedlings, tying ropes, and carrying … The villagers in Huazhu Village, Shuanglong Town are a little busy. Watching pomegranate trees two or three meters high rise from the ground, their locked brows gradually stretched and their smiles hung on their faces. Not long ago, a garden enterprise in Chongqing came to buy pomegranate trees that villagers were going to abandon.

  "I thought that the pomegranate trees dug out could only be used as firewood. Unexpectedly, the government helped to contact the buyers, which gave us more income." Under the fruit forest, Nie Hai, the son of Nie Zhanghua, said happily while observing the growth of seedlings.

  According to reports, this pomegranate forest has a total of more than 260 mu, which was introduced by villagers from other places more than ten years ago. Last year, Shuanglong Town vigorously developed the crisp plum industry and called on the villagers to plant crisp plums. Nie Zhanghua, a large planter in the village, decided to transfer this pomegranate forest and develop the crisp plum industry.

  After learning about the relevant situation, the resident team felt very sorry and wondered if there was any way to make use of these pomegranate trees and turn them into treasures.

  Through the matchmaking of the resident team, at the end of 2019, the heads of two garden enterprises came to Shuanglong Town to learn about the growth of pomegranate trees on the spot, and felt that these pomegranate trees were very suitable for landscape trees, so they immediately decided to order a batch. After learning that these trees were purchased from poor households, they also took the initiative to raise the original tree in 110 yuan to one in 130 yuan, so that the poor people could make more profits.

  "600 trees and one tree, 130 yuan, sold a total of 70,000 to 80,000 yuan, which solved my economic problem." When it comes to this matter, Nie Zhanghua’s smiling mouth doesn’t close properly. With this money, Nie Zhanghua expanded his industry on the original 400 mu of crisp plum planting.

  His son Nie Hai, as the technical backbone cultivated in the village, not only managed his own crisp plum garden, but also provided technical assistance to other poor households in the village. Last year, the yield of crisp plum reached more than 3,000 kilograms per mu, and he realized a net income of more than 100,000 yuan, which became a demonstration for the large-scale planting of crisp plum in the village. At present, Huazhu Village has developed 1,580 mu of crisp plums, which has driven 63 poor households in the village out of poverty and increased their income.

  Nie Zhanghua said that the planting of crisp plums has now caught up with the good momentum, and he will strive to develop crisp plums as prosperous as pomegranate flowers blooming all over the mountain with the support and help of the government and the resident team.

  Liu Jingchun. Photo courtesy of Rong Media News Center in Wushan County, Chongqing

  "Golden Grape" Strings out "Poverty Alleviation Fruit"

  "I will work harder and do well!" Looking at the honorary certificate of "the most beautiful example of poverty alleviation" in his hand, Liu Jingchun of Jingping Village in Shuanglong Town said simply and firmly that his face was a simple smile.

  However, behind this smile is the tempering and precipitation of Liu Jingchun’s 10 years.

  In 2010, it was a turning point in Liu Jingchun’s life. His first son was born, which brought happiness and joy to his family and made Liu Jingchun miserable and happy. The child suffered from congenital cleft lip, so he ran around to collect the operation fee for his son. One year after the operation, Liu Jingchun himself suffered from lumbar tuberculosis and owed more than 200,000 yuan for treatment, which instantly put this originally poor family in trouble.

  "At that time, the child was like this, plus his own lumbar paralysis. He was lying in bed for more than half a year, unable to get up and owed money. At that time, he almost fell into a state of despair." Liu Jingchun said, "Fortunately, the poverty alleviation policy has brought me hope."

  In 2013, Liu Jingchun was included in the poverty-stricken households with the establishment of the card and enjoyed the medical assistance policy for serious illness. Although the national policy is good, Liu Jingchun understands that it still depends on his own hands if he wants to really live a good life.

  In 2017, under the premise of gradually improving his health, Liu Jingchun applied for a small poverty alleviation loan, and brought over a vineyard with a poorly managed area of 110 mu in a neighboring village. He decided to plant "golden grapes" and bear his own "poverty alleviation fruit".

  After setting down the vineyard, every morning, Liu Jingchun rushed to the vineyard in the neighboring village 6 kilometers away to start a day’s work. "This period is a critical period for grape management and protection. If management and protection are not strengthened, it will directly affect the yield and quality this year."

  The yield and quality of grapes are no matter how good, but it can’t avoid the problems brought by sales. In 2019, Liu Jingchun’s 110 acres of grapes began to enter the high-yield period, with an annual output of 20,000 kilograms. After selling more than 10,000 kilograms through friends and citizens themselves, the rest could not be sold.

  "At that time, it was painful and anxious to see that such a good grape could not be sold. Fortunately, after Wang Tao, the first secretary of the village, knew the situation, he took the initiative to use his resources to help me sell the remaining thousands of pounds. At the same time, it also made my grapes have a certain reputation in Chongqing." Liu Jingchun recalled.

  After the cold winter, spring always comes inadvertently. Nowadays, Liu Jingchun’s body has basically recovered and her children are attending primary school. At the same time, with the increase of income, not only have the hats of poor households been thrown far away, but Liu Jingchun also took the initiative to apply for withdrawal from the subsistence allowance.

  Talking about his future life, Liu Jingchun smiled simply and expressed great confidence. This year, it is estimated that the output of grapes will reach 30,000 Jin and the output value will reach 200,000 yuan.