Quinoa Initiative

Introduction

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative, supported through the ADELANTE Window, strengthened the capacities of key partners to design and implement sustainable agriculture models tailored to indigenous small-scale producer organisations. Leveraging the integrated approaches of Fondazione AVSI and AVSI México, the Initiative empowered Fundación León to enhance its rural development programmes and promote a participatory, inclusive model of agricultural growth across several provinces in Argentina.

Collaboration between European and Latin American entities enabled a comprehensive process of training and exchange, integrating economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The Initiative positioned small-scale producer organisations and indigenous communities as central actors in shaping sustainable food systems, while advancing institutional knowledge and generating replicable models for intervention.

It also fostered synergies among civil society organisations, academic institutions, public authorities, and local stakeholders. The inclusive methodology—combining hands-on training, seminars, and field-based application—created lasting impacts beyond the scope of the project, contributing directly to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 8 on decent work and SDG 2 on food security.

Objectives

The Initiative strengthened the capacities of Partnership member entities to develop and apply sustainable agriculture models adapted to indigenous populations, ensuring that small-scale producer organisations played an active role as drivers of economic development and sustainability.

Project activities

• Joint design of an intervention model integrating sustainable agriculture and local development.
• Two initial workshops sharing the Fondazione AVSI’s approach to sustainable agriculture.
• Four specialised thematic seminars on sustainable agriculture, capacity building, fair trade, and gender-based approaches.
• A series of open seminars engaging broader local actors and the general public.
• On-site consultancies to assess local needs and apply the model in selected communities.
• Practical training sessions for small-scale producer organisations.
• A final congress in San Miguel de Tucumán: First Summit on Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture.

Expected results

The Initiative delivered tangible outcomes in capacity building, institutional strengthening, and community empowerment. Fundación León consolidated its rural development approach through a replicable model of sustainable agriculture that integrates social, economic, and environmental components specifically tailored to indigenous contexts.

A total of 193 direct beneficiaries—including professionals from partner institutions, small-scale producers, indigenous community members, and representatives from academia and public bodies—gained valuable knowledge while actively contributing to the Initiative’s mutual learning processes.

Workshops, thematic seminars, and training activities provided platforms for sharing experiences, refining methodologies, and developing practical tools already in use across multiple communities. The final congress served as a space for reflection and consolidation of lessons learned, reinforcing networks among stakeholders and encouraging future collaboration. Moreover, the open format of several events expanded the outreach and visibility initially scoped, enhancing the dissemination of sustainable agricultural practices aligned with the SDGs.