Setting up a new and innovative organic quinoa drying plant in Bolivia Bolivia is the biggest producer of quinoa in the world with 46% of the total production. It is famous for its quinoa real variety. Despite this fact, the processing of the quinoa is still being done in the rudimentary way of decades ago. The quality of the washing and drying is not constant, leading to difficulties in entering the strict market in the European Union. Further, the tracking and tracing has some limitations in Bolivia, resulting in residues of pesticides found in batches of organically grown and certified quinoa. The applicant Delphi Organic GmbH of Germany is an import company specialised in certified organic commodities. It is very interested to buy good quality organic quinoa real from Bolivia. Their trading partner in Bolivia is the company Sindan Organic SRL based in El Alto near La Paz. Sindan Organic SRL is a trading and processing company of organic food products like quinoa, quinoa flakes and flour, amaranth, chia, sesame and canahua. The two partners will form a joint venture for the cleaning and drying of quinoa. The processing facility will be Fair Trade, organic and ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 certified and work with a state of the art, semi-automated processing line. In order to guarantee the 100% organic purity of the quinoa an ISO 17025 certified laboratory will be started to monitor the residue content of pesticides. The company will train and advice 200 farmers on organic production, good agricultural practices and organise its organic and Fair Trade certification. The company will actively work together with local universities, NGOs, the chamber of commerce of the quinoa sector CABOLQUI (Bolivian Chamber of Quinoa Exporters) and promote the local consumption of organic quinoa.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The company will be organic, Fair Trade and ISO 22000 certified which will cover all other aspects related to the CSR policy of the joint venture. The outgrowers will be organic certified and partly also Fair Trade.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsThe company is paying living wages, offers transport, meals, childcare, education possibilities and safe working conditions. The company will be certified Fair Trade and organic, as well as ISO 9001 and ISO 22000, offering all kind of benefits for its employees and the working environment.•	Innovation/Transfer of knowledgeAll other companies also use the outdated cleaning and drying machinery for quinoa. Quinoa has a protected layer around the seed of saponins. This layer has to be washed off, producing a soap like substance. Currently, this is done by women by hand, a hard job and difficult to obtain a constant quality. Similarly, the drying is done on drying tables but the seeds are moved by hand by men, a very tough job and with a big risk that the seeds get to warm. In the project the washing and drying process will be done by modern semi-automated machinery, guaranteeing constant quality and enabling the company to increase the capacity of their production.Another innovative element is the inclusion of a laboratory performing analysis of pesticide residues. Currently, all companies need to send their samples for testing to labs in Chile, Peru or to Europe before exporting their containers with organic commodities. The lab will be ISO 17025 certified.•	Chain effectsImpact on local suppliersThe impact on the outgrowers will be very beneficial as it enables them to increase their organic production and sales to Sindan Organic SRL. The number of outgrowers will grow from 180 to 200 and slowly to 300. The outgrowers will have better access to technical assistance as more crop advisors will be employed.Impact on local customers or consumersThis group will benefit of the improved and constant quality of the cleaned quinoa. Sindan Organic SRL produces and sells quinoa grains, flakes and flower at the local market and uses the export quality also for the local market. They provide the quinoa at a relatively low price as compared to other companies who are selling the same product as an expensive health ingredient at the drugstores.•	Impact on the sectorThe company works very active together with universities, knowledge institutions, NGOs, Chambers of Commerce and the Government in terms of training, knowledge exchange and cooperation with farmer communities. Sindan Organic SRL uses its directors position in the CABOLQUI to lobby actively with the Government and to try to stop or reduce the illegal export of quinoa to Peru. They will organise an open day to enable other companies to see the new equipment and the laboratory.•	EnvironmentThe company only works with certified organic quinoa, working actively with farmers on crop rotation and sustainable production. It actively promotes the non-use of chemical pesticides.•	Position of womenThe company will actively employ more women as the new equipment reduces the physical work. Three out of eight management positions will be for women.•	Impact on food safetySindan Organic SRL works actively with the farmers on organic production, crop rotation and sustainable use of the soil, which directly leads to improved yields, better soil structure, less erosion and better living conditions at the harsh environment at the Altiplano. Part of the quinoa production is for the local market. Sindan Organic SRL does not distinguish between local and international market, so the same quality organic quinoa is sold at the local market through their brand Sabor Andino. They are actively promoting the consumption of the sometimes forgotten but very nutritious crop quinoa among the local population.•	Impact on waterThe company is training the farmers on good agricultural practices, based on organic agriculture and improving the soil structure. The latter implies that less water is needed to irrigate the crops. Further, Sindan Organic SRL is studying the possibilities of recycling the water used in the washing process in the factory. To improve the quality of the organic quinoa processing sector in Bolivia by setting up a Fair Trade and organic certified quinoa cleaning and drying facility.