Las mujeres en la cadena productiva de quinua y su papel en la seguridad alimentaria de Cundinamarca, Colombia

Abstract

The production of high Andean grains, mainly quinoa, in the department of Cundinamarca is led by mostly women and poses challenges and opportunities for food security, for this reason, from the National Open and Distance University -UNAD and the School of Basic Sciences, Technology and Engineering -ECBTI in Bogotá, through a team of multidisciplinary women engineers, the following project is being developed: Strengthening quinoa production, through technological strategies, for the competitiveness of the sector and food security in Cundinamarca. In this study, four phases were proposed. In the first phase, visits were made to women producers and processors to characterize production, establishing a plan for collecting information and samples. Detailed surveys were carried out to collect data on key aspects of female production and participation in this context. In the second phase, the production methods used by women producers were analyzed to design an improvement plan that will contribute to quality and competitiveness. In the third phase, which is under development, products have been designed from quinoa considering its nutritional and functional properties. Finally, in the fourth phase, which is in formulation, 4.0 technologies are applied for the development of primary production of quinoa, selecting producers for the implementation of a model and transferring knowledge. In the characterization of quinoa production in the region, the marked role of women leaders in the production and transformation of quinoa was found, which has driven significant growth in recent years; however, difficulties are evident in the acquisition of certified seeds, in technical assistance for primary production, land ownership and low technology in transformation for the generation of added value; In the evaluation of production methods, the varieties of quinoa grown and the quality of the grains were analyzed, finding the influence of the drying and threshing methods and a high protein content in the Aurora and Tunkahuán material. And in the product development phase, these were accepted by consumers: cookies with 10% inclusion, shortbread with 5% inclusion, almojábanas with 2% inclusion and Yogurt with 5% inclusion of quinoa extract. Finally, it is concluded that sustainable agricultural production of high Andean grains is crucial for food security and has positive impacts on the environment, the economy and society. However, deficiencies are identified that limit the economic development of different communities of women. This project addresses food sovereignty and security objectives as it seeks to strengthen the peasant economy with gender equality, encourage the active participation of women and improve local marketing.