Food's success creates a quandary

LA PAZ, Bolivia - When NASA scientists were searching decades ago for an ideal food for long-term human space missions, they came across an Andean plant called quinoa. With an exceptional balance of protein and amino acids, quinoa, they declared, is virtually unrivaled in the plant or animal kingdom for its life-sustaining nutrients.

Now demand for quinoa is soaring as American and European consumers discover the "lost crop" of the Incas. The surge has helped raise farmers' incomes in Bolivia, where it has been a staple for centuries. But there has been a notable trade-off: Fewer Bolivians can now afford it.

While quinoa prices have almost tripled over the past five years, Bolivia's consumption of the staple fell 34 percent over the same period, according to the country's agricultural ministry. This has raised fear of malnutrition in one of the hemisphere's poorest countries.