Focusing global attention on quinoa’s contribution to food security, nutrition, and sustainable production, more than 1,000 viewers from 52 countries took part in the International Quinoa Research Symposium (IQRS), hosted virtually at Washington State University, August 17-19, 2020,
The WSU Sustainable Seed Systems Lab (SSSL), in collaboration with the WSU Food Systems Program, co-produced the 2nd Symposium, showcasing diverse research presentations with leading experts worldwide during three days of bilingual, interactive talks, field walks, poster sessions, and forums.
“We wanted to focus world attention on what quinoa brings to human health and nutrition, food security, sustainability, and holistic use,” said Kevin Murphy, associate professor at WSU and symposium co-organizer.
“We all believe that this crop has a big part to play in alleviating poverty, providing food security and boosting nutrition,” said event partner Sergio Núñez de Arco of Ardent Mills. “The Quinoa Symposium helped bring quinoa one step closer to regaining its status as a staple—an every-day food.”
The program included a recorded field walk with the Organic Seed Alliance, an informative Zine with quinoa recipes made in collaboration with Chile-based QuinoaLab, and the Culinary Breeding Network, an interactive poster session with 35 presenters led by Julianne Kellogg, interactive discussion forums, and 26 research sessions from leading experts in their fields on a wide range of topics including genomics, breeding, agronomy, phenotyping, ancestral knowledge, and market uses.
In total, 939 people from 52 countries registered for this bilingual event, with the largest contingencies from the United States, Perú, Bolivia, Chile, and Ecuador. The largest professional sectors included researchers, academics, and farmers.
Farmers shared quinoa production techniques and centuries-old indigenous wisdom on growing quinoa in its native regions. Scientists and researchers reported on cutting-edge findings, identifying gaps in knowledge, and establishing working relationships to advance quinoa research and development. A little over half of all attendees, or 51 percent, registered in Spanish.
- View video presentations from the Symposium on the WSU Sustainable Seed Systems Lab’s YouTube channel.
- To learn more about the 2020 International Online Quinoa Research Symposium, contact Aba Kiser, Project Manager, WSU Food Systems, at aba.kiser@wsu.edu or (360) 379-5610 (ext. 211), or Kevin Murphy, Associate Professor, WSU Crop and Soil Science, at kmurphy2@wsu.edu or by phone at (208) 335-9692.