Cañahua (Chenopodium pallidicaule) is a pseudo cereal in the same genus as quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). The species is native to the area surrounding Lake Titicaca, between Peru and Bolivia. "Small, powerful and brave, the winner against frosts and hails, resistant - she is the queen among all” - describes the grain an Antaquiran farmer. It used to be widely known and cultivated during the Inca Empire where it served as a principal source to protein. Its use has heavily decreased and today due to increased availability of rice and millets and it is practically in danger of extinction. However, Cañahua can grow in conditions where neither quinoa or millet can grow. The high nutritional value of the grains and their tolerance to frost make it a strategic and safety crop food for high-risk production systems such as the highlands.
At present, the cultivation and utilization of Cañahua are maintained at subsistence levels in the high plateau regions of Peru and Bolivia. Cañahua grows in adverse ecological conditions with altitudes between 3000 and 4200m in soils with high humidity and content of organic matter. This species normally needs 500 to 800 mm of rain, but it can tolerate prolonged periods of drought and is resistant to most pests and diseases, strong winds and heavy rainfalls. It is a day-neutral plant - it flowers regardless of the amount of daylight it receives. Extremely susceptible to high humidity on the first stages of development, the plant is very resistant to cold once established. Cañahua can tolerate temperatures as low as -10°C during branching, since it has an adaptation mechanism preventing the vital parts of the plant from freezing. At the other extreme, it can tolerate up to 28°C, if it has the necessary humidity.
Cañahua seeds are a great substitution for the scarce animal proteins in the Andean region. The grains have a high content of protein (14 - 19%) and a balanced composition of essential amino acids. The high quantity of Omega-6 oil (linoleic acid) in Cañahua makes it a potential raw material for oil extraction. This cereal has a significant volume of dietary fibre allowing to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood and improve digestion. Moreover, Cañahua seeds have excellent potential as health promoting bioactive compound as they are rich in minerals, especially in zinc and iron. Therefore, its consumption can help to lose weight as well as to rehabilitate malnourished children. The grains contain some quantity of saponin and oxalic acid. However, these toxins easily break down during the process of cooking hence having no threat to humans.
Harvesting takes place when the plants change colour. The plant needs to be cut, dried for 20-30 days and then threshed. Threshing may be done by hand, using curved sticks and sieves, or it may be mechanized by using a stationary wheat thresher. Marginalization of Cañahua grains is caused by several reasons such as the large number of people required to harvest it and the small grain size making it difficult to clean and dehusk the seeds.
Cañahua is used as burnt grain or milled into soft flour. The flour can be consumed diluted in a mixture of milk, water and sugar. It is also used to prepare mazamorras, soups, stews, meatballs, cakes, soft drinks and hot drinks. Due to high nutritional value, the Cañahua flour has been used to partially replace wheat flour in pasta and some baked goods. Leaves of this species are also edible. Additionally, this crop can be used as green fodder, hay or silage for animals.
Cañahua is a crop with large potential which has not been fully exploited. This situation, like that of other crops forgotten in the Andes, has led to the development and execution of the IPGRI-IFAD Project "Raise the contribution that forgotten and underutilized species make to food security and
to the incomes of the rural population of scarce resources ", with wide participation of institutions and researchers from the Andean region. The objective of the project is to revalue and promote forgotten species like Cañahua in local communities.
The Project used a community-based, participatory approach to increase the demand and consumption of Andean grains. In Bolivia, the Project added to national seed collections 220 types of quinoa and 83 of Cañahua. Also, the first-ever improved Cañahua cultivars were released. Local farmers received training in high-quality seed production to ensure the ongoing supply of these varieties, which is now being independently implemented by several local farmer associations.
By developing and disseminating improved varieties of quinoa and Cañahua, improving processing technologies and promoting consumption of Andean grains through better marketing strategies, this work increased yields, incomes and nutrition for poor farmers and their communities, and contributed to the protection of the indigenous knowledge and agricultural biodiversity. Read more about our work on Cañahua here:
IFAD NUS I & II (2001 - 2010)
IFAD NUS III & IV (2011 - 2015)
