Powerful Beans: Plant a Seed on World Pulses Day

Washington, D.C.- FAO North America and Slow Food USA celebrated legumes, pulses and beans on World Pulses Day through a Slow Food Live webinar moderated by Anna Mulé, Executive Director of Slow Food USA. The hour-long session highlighted how these small but mighty seeds teach us about climate resilience, human health, and food justice. The occasion also marked the announcement of the Plant a Seed campaign led by Slow Food USA. As part of the collaboration, FAO is giving away kits, which are centered on beans, to community members and school gardens in the United States.

Mara Welton, Director of Programs at Slow Food USA, shed light on the diverse attributes of beans, from their taste to their cultural significance and environmental properties. Welton noted that if all the beans provided in the Plant A Seed campaign were to be planted, 112 pounds of nitrogen would be fixated in the soil through the beans - underlining just how powerful beans are addressing climate change. 

Jocelyn Brown Hall, Director of FAO North America, reminded the audience that the International Year of Pulses, declared by the UN General Assembly in 2016, underlined the crucial role of pulses in healthy diets, climate mitigation, and food security. Despite that, Brown Hall stated that the consumption of pulses is lower than it should be. Pulses, with their long history as a staple crop, provide vital nutrients such as protein, iron, and zinc which help fight iron deficiency and anemia in women of reproductive age.

High in nutritional value, legumes are also drought-resistant and help provide water to companion crops, all while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers due to their nitrogen-fixing properties. Shelf-stable, pulses help reduce food waste and loss, which in turn reduces methane emissions from landfills. Brown Hall voiced the importance of pulses as a crop for smallholder farmers since their versatility in terms of soil health and resilient properties make it a utilitarian crop that contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change.

Mimi Edelman, a farmer based in the North East region of the United States, spoke of the importance of the seed sourced from their farm and their stewardship program of the soil. Beans, in particular, play a big role - they consist of one-third of Edelman’s harvest every year. Spring, summer, and fall are all seasons for beans, and their origins stretch from Asia to Europe to America. Edelman mentioned how, after maturity is reached, the beans are lightly tilled back into the soil, helping increase soil fertility before the next seeding. 

The official International Year of Pulses was in 2016, but these timeless seeds hold immense value for the future of agri-food systems. FAO continues to celebrate the international day of pulses on 10 February annually to promote the consumption of these small seeds on global nutrition and the environment. 

Resources: 

Watch the webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sU3Qf9fUL4 

Learn more about the nutritional benefits of pulses here: https://bit.ly/3rPraxW

Discover FAO’s cookbook on pulses here: https://bit.ly/3gLReUc