Use of marginalized crops for food security under climate change: key socioeconomic drivers, opportunities and barriers

Addressing food security challenges under climate change requires exploring innovative solutions including the adoption of marginalized crops like quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). This study investigates the factors driving quinoa adoption in three Middle East and North Africa region countries—Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia— and examines the key challenges and opportunities for scaling its use. Practical recommendations are proposed to enhance quinoa adoption as a climate-resilient, yet underutilized crop. However, this study does not focus on the value-chain and market analysis of quinoa. Using a Binary Logit model, the analysis reveals that farmers’ perception of quinoa’s role in climate adaptation, its ease of cultivation and its utility are the more critical determinants of adoption than economic capacity. Additionally, agricultural training is found to play a more significant role than formal education. Factors such as membership in farm cooperatives, proximity to market, and access to extension services also positively influence adoption. Key barriers to quinoa adoption include limited technical knowledge, the unavailability of planting materials, underdeveloped marketing mechanisms, restricted access to financial resources, and inadequate post-harvest processing technologies. Conversely, high nutritional value, growing market demand, and superior climate adaptability enhance quinoa’s potential for large-scale adoption. To promote its wider adoption, we recommend properly addressing the key barriers.