The Agriculture Ministry has launched a nationwide program to grow quinoa, Al Mal reports. The ministry had been working with the UN Food & Agriculture Organization to research growing the grain in arid conditions in Egypt since 2005, Agriculture Minister Abdel Moneim El Banna said. Quinoa, which is widely regarded as a “super food” for its high protein content and ability to grow in arid conditions, has been widely touted by the UN FAO as a crop that could help food security in the region. Relief Web had noted earlier this month that Egypt has been growing quinoa in “highly saline and arid conditions” since 2007 as part of a food security program led by the Dubai-based International Center for Biosaline Agriculture.

Tags: