More than 30 Alaska Native villages depend on the Kuskokwim for their subsistence living.

The growing popularity of the nutritious “superfood” among health food advocates has transformed the traditional subsistence crop into an important export commodity, providing much needed income to one of the poorest areas of Peru.

"This suggests these early inhabitants were clearing forests by burning them, in order to create open spaces for subsistence and perhaps cultural activities," said Adeleye.

Prof Mendelson reckons such tools that can simplify the process of reporting, especially for subsistence farmers, are helpful.

An estimated one million subsistence farmers experienced damaged crops and maize supplies in the country are still critically low.