NEO-LIBERALISM IN CHILE AND ITS IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION OF QUINOA: A LESSON FOR STRENGTHENING AND DEVELOPING NEW PARTNERSHIPS

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5International audienceSince 1973 Chile started a hard neo-liberal economy. This model affected education, health care and all economic activities, including agriculture. No protection and/or planning actions ruled the country that achieved a high GDP (US$14,510/year, per capita) respect to other Latino American countries, but also a very unequal salary distribution (Gini coefficient=0.54). It also achieved a worst land property distribution (Gini coef.=0.95 in some regions). Small-scale landowners received limited financial aid, they sold lands mainly re-oriented to monocultures for exportation markets. Farmers became rather workers of a growing agro-industry. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) a highly nutritive crop, cultivated since the last 7 thousand years in the Andes almost disappeared during the conquest but it was transmitted by ancient Incas to Chilean cultures, people living in very different agro-ecological contexts from 18ºS (Altiplano) to 41ºS (Chiloé Island). The crop was maintained in Chile where dust roads were cut by winter rains and where city supermarkets could not establish. There quinoa became one of their staple food and it escaped free-market driven agriculture that did not promote its cultivation. The 1470 hectares of quinoa in Chile (2007) could increase as Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia do export over 54 thousands hectares under biological certification. This new modern scenario might help to reactivate the culture of this crop in Chile. But the absence of farmer's organizations might become a constraint. Crop biodiversity is poorly known and mass cultivation could further reduce it unless some knowledge/research-action of this diversity could help to create conscience of its importance

Pecosa-Baer: Nuevo cultivar de lupino blanco de hábito de crecimiento determinado arbustivo, grano dulce y alto contenido de proteína

The expansion of white lupin ( Lupinus albus L.) cultivation in Chile is subject to the availability of cultivars presenting high yield potential, tolerance to the main fungal diseases and homogeneous ripening. In response to these requirements, a new cultivar has been developed and registered as 'Liapec-1', commercially registered as 'Pecosa-Baer'. This new cultivar has determined bushy growth habit. Its flowering period is concentrated in approximately 40 days, less than the 77 days of cv. Rumbo-Baer. This trait allows it to reach harvest without heterogeneity problems. The seed is speckled, flat and medium-sized (370 g/1000 grains aprox.). The kernels are sweet and have a high protein content of around 41% (dry matter basis). In field assays, 'Pecosa-Baer' presents a good tolerance to diseases caused by Colletotrichum lupini and Pleiochaeta setosa . The new cultivar has outstanding stability and yield levels, even under low fertilization conditions. An average yield of 5.43 t ha-1 was obtained over four seasons in two locations. In order to maximize its yield, 'Pecosa-Baer' must be sown between April and June at a rate of 140-160 kg ha-1. Given the high protein content and low alkaloid levels of the seeds, they can be included in the diet of all types of animals.La expansión del cultivo del lupino blanco ( Lupinus albus L.) en Chile está sujeta a la disponibilidad de cultivares que presenten altos potenciales de rendimiento, tolerancia a las principales enfermedades fungosas y una maduración homogénea. Respondiendo a estos requerimientos se ha desarrollado el nuevo cultivar inscrito como 'Liapec-1' y registrado comercialmente como 'Pecosa-Baer'. Este nuevo cultivar presenta un hábito de crecimiento determinado arbustivo. Su floración se concentra en aproximadamente 40 días, muy por debajo de los 77 días del cv. Rumbo-Baer. Esta característica le permite llegar a cosecha sin problemas de heterogeneidad de madurez. Su grano es de color jaspeado, forma aplanada, dulce, de tamaño medio (aprox. 370 g/1000 granos) y con un alto contenido de proteína que bordea el 41% (base materia seca). En ensayos de campo 'Pecosa-Baer' presenta una buena tolerancia a las enfermedades causadas por Colletotrichum lupini y Pleiochaeta setosa . Se debe destacar la estabilidad y niveles de rendimiento de este nuevo cultivar, aún bajo condiciones de baja fertilización. En cuatro temporadas, en dos localidades se obtuvo un rendimiento promedio de 5,43 t ha-1. Para maximizar su rendimiento, 'Pecosa- Baer' debe ser sembrada entre abril y junio con una dosis de semilla de entre 140 y 160 kg ha-1. Su alto contenido proteico y bajos niveles de alcaloides en los granos permiten su inclusión en la dieta de todo tipo de animales

NEO-LIBERALISM IN CHILE AND ITS IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION OF QUINOA: A LESSON FOR STRENGTHENING AND DEVELOPING NEW PARTNERSHIPS

N° ISBN - 978-2-7380-1284-5International audienceSince 1973 Chile started a hard neo-liberal economy. This model affected education, health care and all economic activities, including agriculture. No protection and/or planning actions ruled the country that achieved a high GDP (US$14,510/year, per capita) respect to other Latino American countries, but also a very unequal salary distribution (Gini coefficient=0.54). It also achieved a worst land property distribution (Gini coef.=0.95 in some regions). Small-scale landowners received limited financial aid, they sold lands mainly re-oriented to monocultures for exportation markets. Farmers became rather workers of a growing agro-industry. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) a highly nutritive crop, cultivated since the last 7 thousand years in the Andes almost disappeared during the conquest but it was transmitted by ancient Incas to Chilean cultures, people living in very different agro-ecological contexts from 18ºS (Altiplano) to 41ºS (Chiloé Island). The crop was maintained in Chile where dust roads were cut by winter rains and where city supermarkets could not establish. There quinoa became one of their staple food and it escaped free-market driven agriculture that did not promote its cultivation. The 1470 hectares of quinoa in Chile (2007) could increase as Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia do export over 54 thousands hectares under biological certification. This new modern scenario might help to reactivate the culture of this crop in Chile. But the absence of farmer's organizations might become a constraint. Crop biodiversity is poorly known and mass cultivation could further reduce it unless some knowledge/research-action of this diversity could help to create conscience of its importance