Is quinoa-farming sustainable in marginal environments? Social, economical and environmental aspects

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an Andean grain crop introduced as a novel crop to many parts of the world in recent years. Recognized for nutritious seeds and high abiotic stress tolerance, it has been promoted as an element of climate-resilient agriculture, particularly in marginal environments. Successfully introducing new crops to sustainably increase and diversify agricultural production in such settings depends on environmental, economic and social factors of the agricultural context. This review critically assesses the potential and challenges of introducing quinoa as an alternative crop, focusing on marginal lands in Central Asia. We highlight quinoas broad genetic base to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity and temperature extremes and discuss how it can be leveraged by breeding for marginal environments. Environmental effects, economic aspects and initial experiences with quinoa cultivation in Central Asia are discussed. Furthermore, we discuss broader socioeconomic implications, including land tenure and migration in marginal regions. We conclude that quinoa holds potential for improving sustainable agriculture in marginal environments, when integrated policies and long-term support enable its benefits for sustainable agricultural development. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.