[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/6602\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EHow ancient crops could counteract climate change effects\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntensively growing single crops for commercial purposes is the most common farming practice in Europe. These so-called cash crops include corn and wheat and they depend on stable weather to get a good harvest.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018With climate change we will see much more drought in different places of the world, especially in the Mediterranean region, and large parts of Africa,\u2019 said Professor Sven-Erik Jacobsen from the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. \u2018Even in north Europe we will see more drought and heavier rainfalls.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn unusually hot or wet period could devastate harvests of traditional crops, but species originating in warmer climates could serve as a solution to European farmers under threat.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018These crops could be the answer to the climate change effects that we will experience more and more,\u2019 said Prof. Jacobsen, who is the project coordinator of PROTEIN2FOOD, an EU-funded project that\u2019s exploring ancient crops and legumes to help make modern agriculture more sustainable.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We grow in the north, south, east and west of Europe and are learning about what we can grow in different places,\u2019 said Prof. Jacobsen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are focusing on three species of high protein quality \u2013 quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat - as well as legumes like pea, faba bean and lupin, chosen due to potential yield and desirable taste. All factors need to be addressed to convince farmers to move to new crops.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@aligncenter@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Buckwheat crops are rich in protein. Credit: PROTEIN2FOOD\u0022 height=\u0022534\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/Buckwheat.JPG\u0022 title=\u0022Buckwheat crops are rich in protein. Credit: PROTEIN2FOOD\u0022 width=\u0022800\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EBuckwheat crops are rich in protein. Credit: PROTEIN2FOOD\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECheap food\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis will be a challenge as the current market demands cheap food and forces farmers to grow cash crops all year round, just to break even. Such intensive practices also put added pressure on water supplies and deplete overused soils of crucial nutrients. Add climate change to the mix and it puts our food supply systems at risk.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo give the incentive to switch from single cash crops to more diverse, resilient species, a different market needs to be established. PROTEIN2FOOD has partners who are making innovative food products out of the ancient crops and testing them on consumers to determine if they would sell.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis could even convince farmers raising animals to shift towards climate-friendly crops.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@aligncenter@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Lupin crops are high in protein and could serve as an alternative to cream. Credit: PROTEIN2FOOD\u0022 height=\u0022810\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/Lupin.JPG\u0022 title=\u0022Lupin crops are high in protein and could serve as an alternative to cream. Credit: PROTEIN2FOOD\u0022 width=\u00221215\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003ELupin crops are high in protein and could serve as an alternative to cream. Credit: PROTEIN2FOOD\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPROTEIN2FOOD is developing dairy alternatives using lupins for making cream and they are also looking to make vegetable patties with better textures and taste, as well as high protein breakfast cereals and snacks, protein bars, beverages and infant foods.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018In the end we will have advice for farmers on how to grow these crops (as an alternative to farming meat) and what the industry can do to sell products to the consumer,\u0027\u0026nbsp;said Prof. Jacobsen.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECurrent trends are in their favour, with more diverse, sustainable products growing in demand. In fact, there is already a huge market for one ancient crop in particular.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EQuinoa rush\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the sixteenth century the humble potato was brought to Europe from South America and has been a staple ingredient ever since. And it seems quinoa is following in its culinary footsteps.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuinoa cultivation occurs now in more than 70 countries, including France, England, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and Italy. The demand is driven by quinoa\u2019s low-gluten content that can make flour for bread and pasta that is suitable for people with coeliac disease, in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHowever, the majority of growers are still in its historic homelands \u2013 Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. According to Professor Pier Sandro Cocconcelli from the biotechnology research centre at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Italy, there are both good and bad side effects from this quinoa rush.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018In the north of Latin America there are communities that have improved their quality of life because of an increase of their production of quinoa,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the other hand, the demand from Europe and the United States has led to an increase in price for quinoa, which makes it difficult for some local Andean populations to access the crop.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018A second problem has led to populations, in the mountain and coastal regions, applying more intensive agriculture and using harmful pesticides that are illegal in Europe, but not in these native countries. Meaning more harmful quinoa is left behind for the native populations,\u2019 said Prof. Cocconcelli.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018These crops could be the answer to the climate change effects that we will experience more and more.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EProf. Sven-Erik Jacobsen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuinoa has been a stable ingredient in the Andes for thousands of years, even before the rise of the Inca civilisation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProf. Cocconcelli is the coordinator of \u00b5-Andes, an EU-funded project that examined Andean foods like quinoa, lama meat, fermented potatoes and chia, and then helped researchers in Andean regions improve the food safety of these products.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018By improving the safety of the products, you have a better quality of life for local populations. If there is less salmonella in quinoa, there are less infections, if there are less infections then vulnerable populations benefit,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/alert\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg src=\u0022https:\/\/horizon-magazine.eu\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/news-alert-final.jpg\u0022 width=\u0022983\u0022 height=\u0022222\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis means that Europe can safely continue importing quinoa while the supplies left behind for the locals won\u2019t endanger anyone.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018In Europe we do not produce enough food commodities for the entire population so we will need to import, but we want food that is safe and meets our standards. Improving food safety in these regions opens the possibility of more exportation while increasing the health and income of all the people working in the food chain,\u2019 said Prof. Coconcelli.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIf you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-size: 13.008px;\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022moreinfoblock\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ch3\u003EThe Issue\u003C\/h3\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022selectionShareable\u0022\u003EAccording to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) the worldwide demand for food is expected to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.fao.org\/news\/story\/en\/item\/35571\/icode\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Erise 70 % by 2050\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022selectionShareable\u0022\u003EBecause agriculture both contributes to climate change and is affected by it, a more sustainable system is needed to secure global food supplies.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp class=\u0022selectionShareable\u0022\u003EIn response, Horizon 2020, the EU\u0027s funding instrument for research and innovation, has allocated almost\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/programme\/rcn\/664281_en.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEUR 4 billion\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;to develop sustainable agriculture and address other food security challenges\u003Cspan\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-psgzicu6rfcn-3mdmjungkrvjcqwq0nkpx-fkfvc7ms\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-pSgzicU6rFCN-3MdMjunGkRVjcqWq0nKpx_FKfVc7ms\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]