July 30, 2013

Controversy, Quantity, and Quinoa

You might have seen some news reports reflecting on a controversy about the beloved Andean quinoa, the superfood of the gods that is a wonder to vegetarians because it is a complete protein. The Huffington Post had a provocative and largely mistitled post “Is Fair Trade Quinoa A Real Thing, Or Has The Superfood’s Popularity Hurt Those Who Grow It?”

Actually, if you read the piece, it is pretty clear that rising prices may be tough for some quinoa consumers but is a boon to producers. But, the challenge may be that production cannot expand to keep pace with demand, which may be a mixed bag for growers, higher prices for the quinoa that is sold but some money on the table for unmet demand (though too much production might mean cheap prices for consumers and low incomes growers). It’s unclear what the ethical sweet spot is for fair trade quinoa but here is news from recent stories about the quinoa market and  …

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Peace Corps Worldwide: Call for Contributors

Marian Haley Beil (Ethiopia 1962-64) and John Coyne (Ethiopia 1962-64) in the late 1970s published a newsletter RPCV Writers & Readers that developed by early 2000s into the website:www.peacecorpsworldwide.org. They sent us this message with a request for submissions for Third Goal-related activities:

Today, this is an online community and resource for RPCVs, Peace Corps Volunteers, their friends and families, and all who share a desire for international understanding. Peace Corps Worldwide is not officially connected with the Peace Corps or the National Peace Corps Association.

As the publisher and editor of this site, we are continually impressed by the Third Goal activities of RPCVs back in their host countries, the projects that RPCVs have developed in-country over the last fifty-plus years, from school and community libraries to health initiatives, to peace keeping efforts, to scholarships for students, and many other such efforts on behalf of their former hosts and the lifelong friends that  they have made.

We would like to add our support to all these efforts by featuring the Third Goal work of RPCVs. If you would request that your RPCVs send us photos and narratives of their projects, we would be happy to publish them on our site. It is, we think, one way RPCVs can draw attention, and perhaps financial support, for their efforts. Thank you for considering this request and we hope you might publish our offer on your website or in your newsletter.

All narratives and requests for further information should be sent to: John Coyne at: jpcoyne@optonline.net

Thank you.

Marian Haley Beil, Publisher

John Coyne, Editor

www.peacecorpsworldwide.org

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