Agricultural Review

Amaranth - The Super Grain

In pre–Columbia times, grain amaranth was one of the basic foods of the Inca Empire in Mexico. It was nearly as important as maize and beans. Thousands of hectares of Aztec, Inca and other farmlands were planted with grain amaranth. This plant is classified in four categories: the weed, ornamental, vegetable and grain.

History of Amaranth
In pre–Columbia times, grain amaranth was one of the basic foods of the Inca Empire in Mexico. It was nearly as important as maize and beans. Thousands of hectares of Aztec, Inca and other farmlands were planted with grain amaranth. This plant is classified in four categories: the weed, ornamental, vegetable and grain. Weed amaranth voluntarily grows as an uncultivated crop and it is a wild edible weed. The seed is spread by wind, water and birds, which mostly occur in fertile pastures, or along roadsides, usually in unshaded areas in competition with other weeds and grasses.

In urban areas they are commonly seen in abandoned lots or poking through cracks in pavements. They tend to produce seeds at different parts of the plants and scatter them during the season. The seeds of weedy amaranth have remarkably long viability; some have germinated after forty years. Amaranthus weed is a nuisance in our farms and farmers have to spend a lot of time and money to weed it out so as to allow cultivated crops to grow. Throughout the African region, weed amaranth is common in almost all fertile land and can be seen repeatedly germinating even after the first weeding.

The other well known leafy amaranth is the vegetable species, which is mostly cultivated in many kitchen gardens. It is common in many homes in East Africa as well as West Africa. The ornamental is used in flower beds and lawns. It is brightly coloured and can be spotted in beauty gardens. Research has been concentrated on the grain amaranth. The nutritional value of this crop has made it a prime raw material in food processing and packaging today.

Nutritional and Medical Value
Nutritionally, Grain Amaranth ranks at the top of the list as the “greatest grain” or the “top grain”. It is the most nutritious grain on earth. The twelve most common grains have been rated or ranked according to the following nutrients: protein, fiber, iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin E, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and calcium. Grain amaranth is rich and loaded with vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and unsaturated oils and contains more fibre than other cereal grains. It is a balanced diet in itself and makes a perfect health food. Amaranth is known to cure malnutrition conditions such as kwashiorkor.

Economic Benefits
Amaranth matures very fast. It can take between 45 and 75 days depending on the variety and the weather. It is one of the fastest maturing grains in the world. An acre can yield up to 1 ton of the grain amaranth if the farmer observes all the crop management programs. Research has shown that it produces even higher than this if better crop husbandry is put in place. Amaranth has got very high productivity, coupled with the ability to withstand harsh weather. The market is open for this crop. It can be sold both locally and internationally.

Land Preparation
Grain amaranth is a drought-tolerant crop. it is a temperate crop, and favors more warm and hot areas, which include semi arid and arid areas that have adequate soil moisture at planting time, and dry conditions at harvest. Some varieties also perform well in low and high potential areas.

Amaranth can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions from acidic to saline, course textured to fine soils. Amaranth requires fine, loose soils that can provide the small seed with good soil contact. The clods should be pulverized to provide a layer of fine soil surface. A farmer should cut shallow furrows say 5-10 mm deep. Manure is spread along the furrow, and must be well mixed with soil to provide full utilization by the plants. However, since manure slowly releases its nutrients, Fertilizer application both basal and top dress is highly recommended given the exceedingly fast growth of grain amaranth crop. A kilogram of grain seed is enough for one acre. There are some fertilizers that are used.

Planting the Seeds
The ratio is the same; one kilogram fertilizer per one acre. One kilogram of seeds should be thoroughly mixed with the red soil at the ratio of 1Kg: 10Kgs of (red soil, red building sand, fine wood ash, or fine manure). Use the two fingers to drop the seeds one foot apart.

Ensure at all times that a reasonable number of seeds are planted in each plant station and covered with a very thin layer/film of soil. Seeds planted too deep will delay germination or rot all together. The germination is expected within three to six days depending on soil moisture and planting method.

Amaranth grows very slowly during the first two weeks after germination. During this period, other weeds grow faster and overtake the amaranth crop if left unattended. Emergency first weeding should therefore be done within the second week after germination between the rows to reduce the weed competition.

Thinning of amaranth crop is what determines the yields. A proper method must be used to allow only 2-3 plants to grow and then finally after the second weeding to allow only one plant. Thinning is best carried out within first week after emergency weeding. Amaranth is a heavy feeder and isolation distance gives this opportunity. It is very important to carry out soil hilling after thinning. This condition will provide spacious area for roots spreading to avoid occurrence of lodging.

Top Dressing
Top dressing at the rate of 100kgs will be applied at this time. A band application along the rows is done. Thinning to leave 1 plant per station and the last weeding should be done. This practice is best carried in the fifth week. This stage is very crucial as the onset of seeding coincides with heavy crop feeding hence supplementary feeding and hilling is very vital. A foliar Fertilizer application may be done. This should however be done after a careful assessment to ensure the crop is not healthy to encourage lodging and produce too much foliage which may interfere with good grain setting.

Water logging is very dangerous to amaranth crop and must be completely avoided. At no time should the crop be grown in furrows. Should Waterlogging be prevalent, the crop should be planted in raised beds to allow for good water drainage.

Grain Amaranth is not attacked by pests. However, should it be planted proximate to a phaseoulus spp /brassiccaes family crop (beans/cabbage crops), black bean aphids and the grey aphids may migrate to the crop necessitating a chemical intervention. In such instances, a pyrethroid such as Karate, Bestox, Fastac Brigade etc may be applied. Good agricultural practices may be applied in relation to the harvest Intervals. Since Amaranthus leaves may be used as a vegetable, The PHI on Brassicaes eg Sukuma Wiki, Spinach etc may be used as a guideline. On the disease aspect, none is likely to be of economic significance as none has been reported in the growing areas to interfere with crop productivity.

Harvesting
Early maturing varieties mature as early as 45 to 60 days; late maturing as late as 70 to 120 days. The crop turns brown or pale green or even yellowish. The yellow flowers disappear and the seeds appear eligible in their chambers. The seeds should be squeezed between thumb and palm (hand). If they are hard and do not produce any milk at all then they are ready for harvesting even if the plant is showing green leaves and stems. If one waits for the plant to dry there is a danger of losing the whole harvest as the seeds will fall to the ground and sprouting (germination) may begin again if certain temperature moisture occurs.

Grain Amaranth is a very minute seed. A lot of care should be taken during harvesting to ensure no contaminants are allowed in the grain. Once contaminated it is almost impossible to clean/separate the contaminants with the grain. Amaranth plant will mature in two folds with the head maturing early followed by the side shoots, which will be ready a week after the head. Similarly harvesting will be done twice. It will be bunched together and placed on a clean canvas. Just like in threshing beans, millet or rice, use a stick to beat the seeds out of the husk. The seeds hung very loosely on the husks and will come out easily if bunched.

Winnowing (seed cleaning) is done, after which the seeds must be spread out under the sun to dry. Two or three days of good sunshine will completely reduce the moisture levels to the required standard. Complete drying of the seed should be done to avoid dampness at storage which may encourage rotting and quality deterioration. The dry seeds can be packed in clean sisal bags in a cool dry room where rodents are completely absent. Amaranth grain after all is said and done is a highly nutritious human food. A lot of care must be taken to avoid any contaminants/foreign bodies in the grain. Handling the grain after maturity should be done very carefully and with a high degree of cleanliness.

Amaranth Processing in Kenya
Incas is Kenya’s first range of healthy flours and promoting a healthy lifestyle for the whole family. Their range of flours is whole grain, unsifted and unrefined and retains both the germ and bran that contain vital nutrients and fibre for great health. The product is also fortified with the nutritious ‘super grain’ Incas Amaranth or precooked Soya beans. This is a food processing company that focuses on maintaining the wholeness of the grain to ensure that by the time the product is packaged, the nutritional value is still intact. The key products of this company are made of amaranth.

Incas has created a partnership with farmers who get the seeds from them. Once the grain has matured, Incas provides ready market for it. The company has developed a sustainable market for this product by setting up a processing and packaging plant, here, in Kenya. This crop is relatively easy to cultivate. It can be done on a small scale or even a plantation.

Incas has a processing and packaging plant in the Industrial in Nairobi. This is where the amaranth grain is ground in to flour. The processing does not affect the fibre content of this grain. All the essential nutrients are left intact. A research by Incas shows that the amaranth flour has got eight essential amino acids which are needed for cell growth and development. The vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and beta carotene to boost immunity, prevent infections and reduce risk of many diseases. Folic acid is good baby formation in the womb and a rare healing oil called squalene to prevent infections and promote your wellbeing. The amaranth flour can also be used as a food additive. It is used to process other types of flours such as the millet and wheat flours.

Whole Grain
A whole grain is a high-fibre complex carbohydrate, according to Incas. It retains all the three parts of a grain – the germ, bran and endosperm (starch) intact, making the product rich in the entire nutritional requirement. Today, doctors are recommending these foods due to the digestion and natural health provisions. Processing the indigenous foods has been able to meet the standards of health today. Proper packaging has made the amaranth be able to meet the market standards and beat the competitive edge. The amaranth grain is ground to flour, the packaged in well branded polythene bags. This product has met the accreditation of the foods, market which has made it possible to have it in strategic stores. The modern technology has made the processing fast and efficient. Amaranth is used to fortify other types of flours.

Amaranth Processing in the US
Opportunities exist to enrich many areas of our country, including Missouri, with a greater diversity of crops and agricultural-based enterprises. Grain amaranth represents one of crops with potential in Missouri.

A number of businesses exist in Missouri that represent potential consumers of amaranth. These industries (cereal companies, bakeries, grain-based and pasta manufacturers) were not aware of the nutritional data for amaranth and buckwheat or that local supplies can be available.

Amaranth can be produced with minor production adjustments in farming operations and are experiencing an increase in popularity. This is according to a report by Deanne Hackman from Missouri Department of Agriculture and Dr. Robert Myers from the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute.

Introduction of Grain Amaranth
Grain amaranth's commercial production in the U.S. began in the late 1970s, grew through the 1980s, and has fluctuated since then. Total U.S. acreage for the last decade has been very small, typically in the 1,500 to 3,000 acre range.

As with many small acreage crops, over-production has sometimes occurred when acreage went up too rapidly following a year with high prices and strong demand. The relatively high price of amaranth, usually 10-fold the price of corn on a per weight basis, has often spurred farmer interest.

The crop is widely adapted and can be grown with conventional grain crop equipment, though the small seed size makes mechanical handling somewhat difficult. The drought tolerant nature of amaranth has led to its current base of production being in the High Plains of western Nebraska. In the past ten years, amaranth has also been grown for grain use in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and in other scattered locations.

The Commercial Market
The commercial marketplace for amaranth in the U.S. has been primarily based on the health food market. Consumers purchasing amaranth are usually doing so because they want a wheat and gluten free product, like the nutritional profile of amaranth, and like more want traditional foods in their diet.

For amaranth to find broader acceptance in the food industry, it will have to overcome several hurdles. Price will have to come down, to make it more competitive with other grains, though it should still carry a price premium.

More consumers will have to recognize the nutritional benefits of the grain, which will be difficult unless a food manufacturer starts to invest in advertising.

Larger supply of seed will have to be available to entice the larger food manufacturers to even consider trying it; some food processors have indicated they are unwilling to get involved in contracting for a crop and waiting several months for it to be grown.