Page 10 - Vol.37-No.2

CROP PROTECTION

PULSES ARE KEY TO FOOD SECURITY, HEALTHY

DIETS AND SUSTAINABLE AGRO-FOOD SYSTEMS

Speaking at the opening of FAO’s vir- Qu also reiterated FAO’s commitment nearly a quarter of the world’s pulses.
tual event to mark World Pulses Day, Qu to supporting its Members to increase France is the largest producer of puls-
highlighted pulses’ incredible potential the production and consumption of puls- es in the European Union. France’s Min-
for making FAO’s aspirations of Better es, noting the importance of consump- ister for Agriculture and Food, Julien
Production, Better Nutrition, Better Envi- tion as the true engine of transformation. Denormandie, said that protein crops,
ronment and a Better Life a reality, and, In support of pulses especially pulses, were the crops of the
thus, contributing towards transforming future. He noted that France’s objective
agri-food systems - making them more Pope Francis - in a message delivered was to increase areas planted with puls-
inclusive, resilient and sustainable. by the Permanent Observer of the Holy es by 40 percent over the next three
See to FAO, Monseigneur Fernando Chi- years, and to boost the consumption of
ca Arellano - said that pulses were a no- pulses, including through the school
ble food, with a huge potential to bolster meals programme.
food security globally. Pulses are simple
Burkina Faso played a leading role in
and nutritious food that overcomes geo- the designation of World Pulses Day. The
graphical barriers and go beyond social Ambassador and Permanent Represen-
classes and cultures, he noted.
tative of Burkina Faso to FAO, Joséphine
Pope Francis also deplored the fact Ouedraogo, highlighted the key role of
that many people, including children, women in the production, processing
didn’t have healthy or sufficient food, and distribution of pulses in local mar-
and stressed that the consumption of kets. The Ambassador and Permanent
healthy diets should be a universal right, Representative of Argentina to FAO, Car-
“World Pulses Day is a valuable op- with states having to play a key role in los Bernardo Cherniak, agreed, noting
portunity to pay tribute to this diverse making this a reality. that pulse production initiatives contrib-
and versatile commodity,” said the FAO Argentina’s Minister for Agriculture, uted to the empowerment of rural and
Director-General. Livestock and Fisheries, Luis Eugenio indigenous women.
Pulses are the edible seeds of legume Basterra, extolled the many virtues of The President of Cuatro Pinos - a co-
plants, such as lentils, chickpeas and pulses, including their being an excel- operative of indigenous women in Gua-
Bambara beans. lent crop in dry environments where temala - Sandra Xiquin emphasized that
Qu highlighted that pulses required food production was difficult due to the pulses such as beans were important
less water than other protein sources, scarcity of water, and especially for vul- to the people of her country; however,
and could be planted on small plots of nerable populations with little or no ac- the tradition of cooking and consuming
land; were an affordable source of safe cess to technology, for whom access to pulses was no longer as strong as it used
and nutritious food, high in protein, fi- food represented a true challenge. to be and it was important for this tradi-
bre, vitamins and micronutrients; and China is the world’s fourth largest tion to be restored.
could fix atmospheric nitrogen, release producer of pulses. China’s Minister for
high-quality organic matter in the soil Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Renjian
and facilitate soil nutrients’ circulation Tang - in his message delivered by NIU
and water retention. Dun, China’s Ambassador and Perma-
“Less fertilizers, a smaller water foot- nent Representative to FAO - put forward
print and reduced use of energy, means solutions to promoting the sustainable
lower greenhouse gas emissions,” he development of the world’s pulses in-
said. dustry by: bolstering efforts to increase
pulses’ consumption; increasing the sup-
The Director-General also pointed out
that pulses have a higher cost-benefit ply of pulses through production expan-
sion, scientific and technological innova-
ratio than other staples, which helps di- tion; and establishing a global common
versify and improve the income of rural market for pulses.
people, often women and youth and lo-
cated in vulnerable regions. Narendra Singh Tomar, India’s Minis-
ter for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare,
“Pulses have a long shelf life. Shifting
consumption patterns to more pulses said that pulses were especially import-
ant in a country such as India where the
could, therefore, contribute to reduc- population was mostly vegetarian and
ing food waste,” he said, noting that this considered pulses a major food item.
characteristic has proved useful during He noted that his country had achieved
the COVID-19 pandemic, as people with- near self-sufficiency in pulses produc-
out access to fresh food could still con- tion, and was the world’s largest produc-
sume pulses.
er and consumer of pulses, producing

8 Vol. 37 No. 2