Centuries of cultivation in the Highland Aynoka of Puno, Peru, have endowed indigenous crops such as potato and quinoa with rich cultural and nutritional value deeply ingrained in local traditions. This study meticulously evaluates their economic viability, environmental implications, and cultural importance by employing a mixed-methods research approach involving surveys, interviews, and observations. The outcome reveals that while the Economic Sustainability Index (EKI) moderately supports potato and quinoa production sustainability, with a value of 2.98, it falls short of significant impact. Conversely, the Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) and the Social Sustainability Index (SSI) exhibit moderate levels of sustainability, recording values of 4.04 and 3.38 for ESI and SSI, respectively. These crops demonstrate acceptable economic feasibility, marked by consistent sales, income generation, and manageable production expenses. The findings underscore the urgency of endorsing sustainable farming methods to safeguard cultural heritage, boost market prospects, and fortify regional ecological robustness. Rooted in ancestral sustainability, potato and quinoa cultivation is a cornerstone in local food systems. Recognizing the cultural, economic, and environmental significance inherent to these crops, efforts can be channeled towards nurturing sustainable agricultural systems that uphold community well-being, conserve biodiversity, and facilitate cultural resilience in Puno’s Highland Aynoka.

The growing global demand for healthy, gluten-free snacks has driven the food industry to explore innovative products that fit consumer preferences. This study focused on developing a gluten-free, energy-dense, and crunchy snack called Quispiño, made from quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), an ancient crop native to the Andes and particularly significant in Puno, Peru. Natural and desaponified quinoa samples were compared, revealing decreased carbohydrate content (69.75 g to 64.02 g per 100 g) and protein content (13.27 g to 12.90 g per 100 g) after desaponification. Moisture remained around 11.5%, while fiber content significantly decreased in the desaponified quinoa (from 4.39 g to 2.76 g per 100 g). The extrusion process influenced the color of the extrudates, reducing the L* value (from 75.28 to a range of 63.70–69.12), indicating darkening due to the Maillard reaction. Moisture in the extrudates ranged from 3.08% to 6.12%, while firmness varied between 7.25 N and 25.86 N, significantly influencing extrusion temperature. The water solubility index (WSI) ranged from 0.17% to 71.61%, with high values attributed to starch dextrinization during extrusion. The water absorption index (WAI) showed a significant increase, highlighting the physical changes induced by extrusion. The sectional expansion index (SEI) also varied considerably, ranging from 7.33 to 13.08, reflecting the impact of the extrusion process on the final product structure. The optimal sample was identified and subjected to an acceptability test with an untrained panel of 45 evaluators who assessed flavor, color, odor, appearance, and texture. The best-performing treatment was further analyzed for proximate composition, calcium, and iron content to compare with the raw material. The results demonstrate the potential of quinoa as a key ingredient in developing new, expanded, gluten-free snacks that meet the growing demand for nutritious and appealing food products in the global market.

In the last 30 years, rice production in Peru has grown 4.88 times. Rice in the Camaná Valley of the department of Arequipa is one of the most important food crops in the regional economy with a world record in yield for paddy rice. The objective was to analyze the innovation system in the adoption of IR-43 (NIR) and Tinajones rice varieties by rice farmers in the Camaná Valley and determine the impacts on improvements in the quality of life of farmers. This study used the innovation systems framework to explore four key aspects of innovation systems: Actors, the roles they play and the activities in which they are involved, attitudes and practices of the main actors, patterns of interaction between the main actors and the enabling environment. It was determined that the adoption of IR-43 (NIR) and Tinajones varieties was facilitated by the existence of a diversity of collective intelligence mechanisms to organize interactions for innovation, government actors have been identified (INIA, SENASA, Agrarian Agencies); private companies (CORDESA Camaná, commercial houses, phytosanitary companies), media, rice producers, a sociotechnical regime that constitutes the mills, financing entities, market information and marketing agents, forming a network of social and economic actors, which interact with each other for the adoption of rice varieties. The livelihoods of producers have been favored by human, social, natural, financial and political capital. The increase in yields and a better price of the product allows them to improve their economies.

Oxidative stress is a major constraint limiting animal health and productive performance by disrupting redox homeostasis, mitochondrial function, intestinal integrity, and mineral metabolism. Agronomic biofortification of forage with essential trace minerals represents a promising nutritional strategy; however, its physiological and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of dietary zinc–iron (Zn–Fe) biofortified alfalfa on oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, mineral transport, mitochondrial bioenergetics, intestinal barrier integrity, inflammatory responses, tissue mineral deposition, and growth performance in guinea pigs. Forty-eight male guinea pigs were allocated to six experimental groups according to dietary treatment (control, Zn-biofortified alfalfa, or Zn–Fe biofortified alfalfa) and oxidative stress status. Oxidative biomarkers, antioxidant enzyme activities, inflammatory mediators, mineral concentrations, targeted RT–qPCR, mitochondrial function, intestinal histomorphology, and multivariate physiological analyses were performed. Zn–Fe biofortified alfalfa markedly reduced reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, advanced oxidation protein products, and the oxidative stress index while significantly increasing superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, total antioxidant capacity, and the glutathione redox ratio. Targeted gene-expression analysis demonstrated coordinated upregulation of intestinal mineral transporters (ZIP4, DMT1, and MT1), activation of the Nrf2 antioxidant pathway, increased expression of mitochondrial regulatory genes, and suppression of inflammatory mediators. These molecular responses were accompanied by improved ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, respiratory-chain activity, preservation of intestinal villus architecture, enhanced expression of tight-junction proteins, increased tissue Zn and Fe deposition, superior feed efficiency, and greater body weight gain. Integrated physiological analyses consistently identified the Zn–Fe biofortified treatment as the highest-performing physiological phenotype, indicating coordinated adaptation across multiple biological systems. These findings demonstrate that Zn–Fe biofortified alfalfa enhances oxidative stress resilience through simultaneous regulation of mineral transport, antioxidant defense, mitochondrial bioenergetics, intestinal barrier integrity, and systemic physiological performance. Agronomic biofortification of forage therefore represents a promising nutritional strategy for improving animal health, mineral utilization, and productive efficiency under oxidative stress.

This study examined the effects of zinc–iron (Zn–Fe) biofortified alfalfa on mineral deposition, growth performance, feed efficiency, and selected meat-quality traits in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). Four alfalfa cultivars (Cuf101, Moapa69, California55, and Yaragua) were cultivated under two fertilization levels (0–0 and 2–2 kg ha⁻¹ Zn–Fe). Biofortification increased forage Zn concentrations from 26.8 to 36.4 mg kg⁻¹ to as high as 325.8 mg kg⁻¹, and Fe concentrations from 139.7 to 425.0 mg kg⁻¹ to 450.1 mg kg⁻¹. A total of 48 weaned guinea pigs (initial body weight 0.30 ± 0.01 kg) were allocated to a randomized multi-factorial feeding trial. Growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and tissue mineral concentrations were evaluated over a 35–50 day period and analyzed using a multi-factorial ANOVA within a General Linear Model framework. Dietary biofortification resulted in a significant improvement in feed efficiency, with FCR decreasing from 6.3 in the control diet to 5.8 in the enriched diet, and the lowest FCR was observed in animals fed the California55 cultivar (5.1). No statistically significant sex effect was detected for live weight gain, although males showed higher total weight gain (248.7 g) than females (187.8 g). Tissue Zn (≈20.7 mg kg⁻¹) and Fe (≈10.2 mg kg⁻¹) concentrations in meat were only marginally affected by diet, suggesting strong physiological regulation of mineral deposition. Multivariate analyses indicated that the enriched diet produced more homogeneous meat-quality profiles and reduced inter-animal variability. Overall, Zn–Fe biofortified alfalfa improved feed efficiency without compromising growth performance or meat quality, indicating potential relevance for smallholder guinea pig production systems. However, given the limited sample size per factorial cell, the findings should be interpreted with caution and considered exploratory, warranting confirmation in larger, adequately powered studies.

This study analyzed the socio-economic, institutional, and environmental factors influencing the adoption of high-yielding rice varieties, IR-43 and Tinajones, in the Camaná Valley, Peru. Using a mixed-methods approach over 24 months, data were collected from 300 farmers through surveys, semi-structured interviews, and environmental assessments using life cycle analysis (LCA). Regression analysis identified farm size, access to credit, and institutional support as the primary drivers of adoption, with larger farms exhibiting adoption rates 40% higher than smaller ones due to better financial resources. Education and market access also significantly influenced adoption, with educated farmers and those with strong market integration showing a 25% higher likelihood of adoption. However, adoption came with environmental trade-offs: IR-43 and Tinajones required 10–20% more water and produced 15% higher greenhouse gas emissions than traditional varieties. Structural equation modeling revealed that education and institutional support indirectly increased yields by 30% through improved access to credit and training. The findings underscore the need for policy interventions that balance socio-economic benefits with environmental sustainability, integrating measures such as optimized irrigation and organic fertilization to mitigate negative environmental impacts. These findings highlight the need for integrated policy interventions that support both the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of rice farming in semi-arid regions like the Camaná Valley.