The UN has launched the International Year of Pulses 2016, aiming to raise awareness of the many benefits of pulses, boost their production and trade, and encourage new and smarter use throughout the food chain. Running under the slogan ‘nutritious seeds for a sustainable future’, the UN General Assembly declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses.

What are Pulses?

• Pulses are plants which produce legumes such as peas, beans, or lentils.
• Pulses are important food crops for the food security of large proportions of populations, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Asia, where pulses are part of traditional diets and often grown by small farmers.
• Pulses have been an essential part of the human diet for centuries.
• The nitrogen-fixing properties of pulses improve soil fertility and extends the productivity of farmland and eliminates dependency on synthetic fertilizers. This in turn leads to a smaller carbon footprint and indirectly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
• Pulses are an affordable alternative to more expensive animal-based protein, which makes them ideal for improving diets in poorer parts of the world.
• Low in fat and rich in nutrients and soluble fibre and gluten-free, pulses are also excellent for managing cholesterol and digestive health, and their high iron and zinc content makes them a potent food for combating anemia in women and children

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said “Pulses can contribute significantly to addressing hunger, food security, malnutrition, environmental challenges and human health”.