Quinoa

About the crop: This crop is annual. You plant, grow and harvest it in one main season, then plant again. You can normally start harvesting about 120 days after planting, depending on care and variety.

Main use: Farmers mostly grow this crop for grain for porridge, flour and blended nutritious foods; leaves may also be used as greens..

Pollination: This crop is mainly pollinated by wind. Keeping flowers healthy and having insects like bees in the field helps improve fruit set and yields.

Where it grows: A climate-smart niche crop under evaluation and production in some African highlands and dryland systems. It is grouped under: Cereals & Pseudocereals.

Best climate: This crop does well in warm areas where the temperature is usually between 12 and 24 degrees Celsius. It prefers places that receive around 350 to 600 millimetres of rain in a year. It can grow from near sea level up to about 3200 metres above sea level.

Soil: The crop grows best in slightly acidic to near neutral soils, with a pH of about 6 to 7.8. It does well in well-drained light to medium soils with moderate fertility; tolerates marginal conditions better than many grains.. Good drainage is important, so avoid waterlogged spots.

Plant spacing: Plant in rows about 40 centimetres apart, and leave about 10 centimetres between plants in the row. This gives each plant enough space for roots and canopy to spread.

Planting depth: Dig planting holes or furrows about 2 centimetres deep so the roots sit firmly in the soil but are not buried too deep.

Seed or planting material: Use around 8 kilograms of seed or planting material per hectare. Spread or plant evenly so the field has a good stand without being overcrowded.