Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Re: Pulses are praised for their health, environmental and economic benefits. How can their full potential be tapped?

Pulses are produced solely for their seed s, the full potential can be through improving handling during cooking: soaking overnight and because of malting process the consumer gets more nutrients out of it; the soaking also reduces the problem of gas in the gastric system common with most leguminous seed products: the use of leaves most the pulses as vegetable, as one reduces the tender foliage to give way for seed formation or when one thins to get the right population, the leaves may be used as vegetables as they are rich in vitamin A , C, minerals  as well as suppling the body with roughage. Example green grams are frequently recommended for detoxifying the body and getting rid of toxics in the system .Green grams are also said to have health benefits which are- fighting breast cancer, weight control, Diabetic friendly, controls blood pressure; and like other pulses a source of protein

Environmentally they fix oxygen in the soil so it is advisable to intercrop it with crops that siphon more from the soil like maize: when seed is harvested the waste may be left on the farm to be cover crop, this stores carbon in the soil which changes to soil organic carbon which is the source of soil fertility; with this results good soil structure, good soil aggregate  and with this is good soil moisture retention and penetration and stable soil aggregate; with good infiltration there is less soil and nutrient erosion: soil that is healthy is also at the right structure is able to retain moisture and this means the crop(s) thrive even during soil stress.

This kind of soil may keep carbon below the soil which would otherwise be disposed to the atmosphere negatively affecting environment: when carbon is kept below the ground results in Carbon sequestration- long-term storage of carbon dioxide or other forms of carbon to either mitigate or defer global warming and avoid dangerous climate change.

Economics of pulses:  yield /acre may be about 6-8 bags of 90kgs  and  currently In Kenya 90kg bag is going for about  ksh/= 9000 then from your 6 bags one should be able to  get a total of about  ksh/=54000 And if its 8 bags then one should be get at least ksh/=72000

 

Joan