Can legumes save the world?

Why are legumes so important?

The use and cultivation of legumes have great benefits for climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation and health. Local cultivation of legumes replaces unsustainable imports of animal feed, especially soybeans, to Europe and the use of mineral fertilizer through natural nitrogene fixation. Legumes diversify crop rotation and improve soil fertility and biodiversity. They are excellent sources of protein reducing or replacing meat consumption to the benefit of human health and the environment. Hundreds of varieties of beans, lentils, peas and other pulses are the basis of rich and diverse regional cultures and traditions of European kitchens and gardens and new innovative food products. 

A European network promoting the use and cultivation of legumes

The Global Bean project is a European and global network of actors from civil society, enterprises, science, education and public institutions to promote and expand the use and cultivation of legumes in our kitchens, gardens and fields.

Our goal is to increase public knowledge and appreciation of the multiple environmental and health benefits of legumes. We want to provide support and motivation to include pulses in cooking and consumption habits, gardening and education. To this end, we want to popularise the professional knowledge of already existing networks and institutions in the field. We are establishing a European Bean Club of experts and enthusiasts. Our project started in October 2021.

What we do and produce

• Short information sheets. Joint dissemination of information about the huge botanical, agronomic and culinary diversity of pulses and their potential, on a popular but also on a scientifically differentiated ecological and ecotrophological level.
• Monthly public lectures online and monthly exchange events of the partner community.
• Sharing cooking experiences and exchanging recipes though online cooking events held between different countries, with different participating kitchens / chefs.
• International show garden of pulses throughout Europe and beyond with different local and exotic varieties, visiting the progress of their cultures with videos and photos. Learn more about Global Bean Showgardens!
• Practical cultivation instructions for different legumes, available online.
• Online-repository. Establishment of an open and ecological, agronomical and ecotrophically curated video and website collection and knowledge hub on the cultivation, use and preparation methods, regional diversity and ecological impacts of pulses.
• Virtual seed festivals, followed by shipping and exchange of real seeds.