Educational Media Reviews Online

This short documentary is not only a story of the quinoa boom, but also a moving narrative about farmers’ perspectives on the future of their communities and preservation of the quinoa’s local identity. The film begins with a brief look into an ordinary morning of Miguel’s family living in a small Bolivian town, Santuario de Quillacas. Miguel and his family, descendents of the Incas and Spaniards, work in quinoa production in a small domestic community, which is a harsh place for travel, but perfect for quinoa. Throughout the film, the authors present interviews with Miguel as well as many other farmers, who share their personal concepts of farming strategies, production, profit, secure income, cooperation, fair trade values, and more. Even though the authors do not show a detailed picture of the lives, health, and working conditions of the farmers and their families in the poorest country in Latin America, the documentary clearly demonstrates the importance of quinoa production for their livelihood needs, economic security, and community interests.

The film also offers a quick journey into the history of quinoa itself, also known, from the time of the Incas, as “The Mother Grain.” However, quinoa is not really a grain, but in fact a seed that is harvested from a species of plant that is a close relative of spinach and beetroot. Not only is it a rich source of nutrients such as high-quality proteins, minerals, and vitamins in exceptional balance, but it is also gluten-free, which is beneficial for people with gluten sensitivities. It is no surprise that the global consumption of quinoa has drastically risen in the last several decades. The documentary highlights the work of several companies and organizations (including the Quinoa Corporation, Andean Naturals, and CABOLQUI) that work closely with Bolivian family farmers and small communities to help them process and deliver high quality quinoa to domestic and international markets.

To bring attention to the ancient “Mother Grain,” raise awareness of the alternative natural food that may help alleviate world hunger, and promote production worldwide, the United Nations declared 2013 the “International Year of Quinoa.” However, some farmers think that “this is just a show with political tint.” They are very skeptical about production of high quality quinoa outside of the “intersalar region,” which has the perfect natural environment for “The Mother Grain”: rich soil, high elevation, lots of sunlight, and dry air.

In spite of the farmers’ concerns, production of quinoa has nevertheless expanded worldwide due to popularity and such marketing promotions. According to the authors, market competitors to Bolivia’s “Mother Grain” come from the USA, Canada, Australia, India, and Kenya, as well as from other countries with similar microclimates. While the authors raise a number of very important points regarding this phenomenon - such as: how will commoditization affect local farming; how can small domestic communities that have produced quinoa for centuries compete with new production companies, defend their community interests and resources, and retain their identity; how can small farms remain competitive on a world scale; and how can consumers help growers - they don’t provide any clear answers.

For its short runtime, this documentary is adequately done with explanations of the major issues surrounding the production of quinoa by small-scale farmers. Appropriate for high school, public and academic library collections.