Foro Global sobre Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición (Foro FSN)

How will Mapping PULSE GENOMES Help Feed a Global Need?

Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family, such as peas, beans, chickpeas and lentils. Scientists are sequencing the genomes of several pulse crops to help meet the changing needs and challenges of feeding the world. Just like the human genome was mapped, mapping crop genomes allows scientists to know how they work. 

People around the world need science to innovate and improve.  With a growing population, climate change, and people’s taste for delicious pulses, understanding more about this healthy sustainable crop is important..

Want to learn more about how pulses benefit people, farmers, and the world? Explore our infographic on pulses.org to learn more about this process, and the importance of pulses as a global food.

The attached documents are my research findings till date about some pulses. Organic approach though the utilization of of amendments shows promises on ways of managing nematode pests mitigating against large-scale soybean production.

For increasing agricultural growth through enhancement of production and productivity of crops; Government of India is implementing, through State Governments various Crop Development Schemes/ Programmes viz National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) etc.

Pulses production in our country relies largely on rainfall as pulses are mostly grown in rainfed areas. Pulses witness huge fluctuations in prices depending upon rainfall. Even with lots of awareness programmes for promoting pulses, our country imports pulses to meet the gap between domestic production and demand. The Government promotes production of pulses through National Food Security Mission and pulses promotion programmes and announces Minimum Support Price (MSP) for pulses every year to support farmers. However MSP needed to be locally referenced as the many risks including climate related that the farmers are facing have local connotations. This will also encourage farmers to take up pulses production on a larger scale and will enable India to help achieve self-sufficiency in pulses in a few years.

Even though Pulses have been in our traditionally diet, in the form of ‘Idly, Dosai, Vada (Snack), Sambhar (Vegetable Curry) , Kheers (Sweets), changing consumption patterns, the introduction of new snacks like breads etc. has paved ways for ignoring this rich nutritional seeds.

Two very famous Pulses Delight recipes have been added here.

Recipe for ‘Sukhiyan'

- Put Green gram (Mung Bean) in the Pressure cooker with a pinch of salt by adding around 2 cups of water. 

- Heat the Ghee in a heavy bottomed pan,

- Add the grated coconut, mix well.

- Add the cardamom powder and the green gram mix to the pan.

- Saute it well for a couple of minutes and then remove from the stove.

Recipe for  Green Gram Kheer (Parippu Pradhaman)



Ingredients:

Cherupayar Parippu/Moong dal: 200 gm

Jaggery (sharkara): About 400 gms (increase or decrease according to your sweet tooth)

Ghee: 1 heaped tsp.

Thick coconut milk: 1 to 1 1/2 cups.

Thin coconut milk: 3-4 cups.



Dry roast spice garnish:

Dry ginger/chukku: 1 small piece, lightly crushed.

Cardamon: 10-15.

Jeera: 1/2 tsp.



Spice for seasoning:

A tsp of rasins, cashewnuts, and about a handful of finely sliced coconut pieces

One tsp of ghee for roasting.



Method:



- Heat a pressure cooker and add a heaped tsp of ghee ,Lightly roast the parippu and pour 3-4 cups of thin coconut milk into the cooker. Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles.

- Meanwhile, put the jaggery into a deep bottomed pan, add 1/2 to 1 cup water and melt it. Once it boils, it will foam out, so pls stay close and once it boils, simmer and switch off the fire....allow it cool slightly and strain it into a metal strainer....this is to remove the dirt, if there are any. Incase if you are very sure that your jaggery is clean....just melt it in 1/2 cup water and keep aside

- Open, the cooker and mash the green gram lightly, some like it really mashed up add the melted jaggery and mix well. Bring it to a boil and simmer it for 20-30 minutes....stirring all the while and taking care that it does not stick to the bottom.....melted jaggery will be reduced by half. While it is simmering away, dry roast the cardamon, jeera, and the dry ginger

- Cut coconut pieces into thin strips. Powder the dry roasted spices. Add the thick coconut milk into the cooker, after adding the thick milk, do not allow it to boil as this might make it curdle....once it starts to boil switch of the fire and add the grounded spices. Finally, heat a tsp of ghee in another pan and fry the coconut pieces until they are lightly browned, then add the cashewnuts, and raisins..... Sprinkle them on top of the payasam. Kheer is ready.

New guide created by a nutritionist, for nutritionists: Pulses and Weight Loss

Obesity is a major risk factor for developing heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and several cancers. It’s become a major global concern, with worldwide obesity rates more than doubling since 1980. Yet, obesity and overweight can be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices, in particular through proper nutrition and diet.

Mounting evidence suggests that eating one daily serving of pulses — beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas — is a useful weight control strategy. The Global Pulse Confederation published a nutrition guide to highlight the weight-loss benefits of beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils. Under the guidance of leading nutritionist Leslie Beck RD, it flags some of the important science on the role of pulses in weight management.

There are many ways pulses are an effective weight management tool, including:

• Pulses have a low glycemic index value, making people feel full and less likely to overeat

• Protein in pulses stimulates gastric hormones that cause the feeling of fullness

• Fibre in pulses increases chewing time and delays gastric emptying, reducing food intake

We hope the guide will encourage professional dieticians and nutritionists to look afresh at these ancient, affordable and highly nutritious crops. You can promote and raise awareness of Pulses and Weight Management and the weight-loss benefits of beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils by using the hashtag #LoseWeightWithPulses on social media.

Click HERE to download the guide.

Forging a New Future for Pulses

• Mobilize and establish global and regional networks of leading scientists and industry players to accelerate collaboration toward improved productivity and sustainability of pulses. 
• Convene public and private researchers to clarify major knowledge gaps and to establish a shared research agenda across international and national scientific efforts. 
• Develop an internationally coordinated pulse crop productivity and sustainability research strategy, which increases the visibility of all pulse research domains, through engagement with governments, researchers, NGOs, associations, and others.
• ‘Expand the pie’ by attracting new types of research investment / investors (e.g. industry funds; public-private partnerships) to achieve adequate funding for both existing research programs and essential but marginalized research issues (eg, orphan crops; integrated approach to productivity, sustainability, nutrition and food security).

Dear all,

Please find attached three stories of pulse growers in Georgia giving insights into their production methods and sharing recipes on how they prepare meals with the pulses they grow.

In addition, I would like to share with you a presentation on the recovery and conservation of pulses in Georgia.

Best regards,

Mariam Jorjadze

Hello Everyone,

Industrial planning is essential – but followed by action

Pre-amble

It is not often that FSN provides a second opportunity for covering much the same subject but, given that this is the International Year of Pulses, perhaps no surprise. Sure ‘innovation’ is what you make of it, but it conveniently provides a platform for all kinds of novelty and information exchange from a host of enthusiastic FSN networkers. We are, as many will know, the converted (and largely target each other in debates of this kind); here are the people who continue to promote, for example, the importance of choice of foods, focus upon (understanding) value chains that link producers to consumers, the importance of efficiency throughout the value chain, and waste reduction.

Notwithstanding the lack of quality statistics that help determine improve focus and investment within pulse/legume industries, everyone knows the background that helps with better understanding the socio-political-economic factors that currently impact food production and consumption. There are close on one billion people food insecure, another two billion malnourished, the tragedy of under-five deaths, insufficient focus upon nutrition for adolescent girls and pregnant women and, paradoxically, the estimated two billion obese people worldwide.

The value of vegetable proteins is well-understood by the FSN network, but not always by the wider population where pulses (and cereal staples) are frequently considered foods for the poor; the messages being that rising incomes provide a shift to more desirable and interesting foods derived from livestock – with the inherent risk of resource allocation, inefficient conversion ratios, competition for land, insufficient infrastructure and more. Issues become critical as more people worldwide shift to ‘western/modern’ diets.

This kind of summary was highlighted by the Global Panel (on agriculture & food systems for nutrition) in their report: ‘Food systems & diets’ published in September 2016. It’s a good read and available at: http://glopan.org/news/foresight-report-food-systems-and-diets.

Value chains

In my contribution in June 2016 I highlighted the value chain as a means of boosting the efficiency of production, and providing viable livelihoods for the many millions of small-scale producers involved. I used a study[1] undertaken earlier to promote the need for greater investment in the services required of producers. Insufficient qualified people, lack of infrastructure, weak producer organizations, slow industrial growth and poor politico-economic leadership in producer countries have led to marginalization of pulses/legumes and those who grow these crops.

Planning model

Sure, there is only so much that can be covered within a debate of this kind, but my contribution this time is to highlight the planning model developed in the report; and to encourage further scrutiny and application within low-income producer countries.

The model had two objectives: 1. Socio-economic investment – in skilled people, technologies, services, etc. that will boost the welfare of rural communities; and 2. Regional agro-industrial investment – in value chains, infrastructure, etc. that will provide for long-term development – more fresh & processed foods, improved diets, higher national earnings and more.

Choice of priority investment clearly rests with those involved with national management in the main food pulse/legume growing countries, those representing the different parts of the value chain and those providing external services. Frequently the regional context applies where basic foods are typically traded across national boundaries.

The model separated investment into eight sectors that impact upon national and/or regional production and consumption, and further sub-divided these into >20 sub-sectors where action could be taken.

Models always have a limited life – as key factors such as markets, access to new varieties, tipping points come into play and/or new technologies evolve - but models are also readily modified, and this helps provide clarity and stimulates thinking.

The model was developed from a study that explored the Southern Africa region. Given the impoverished nature of the majority people that live within the 10 focus countries a boost in investment for national food legume/pulses industries complies neatly with strategic pro-poor, pro-rural and pro-agricultural development planning that typically feature in all national five-year roll-over plans.

End note

Investment in food legume/pulse industries development represents a ‘win-win’ situation for everyone concerned – those in the national value chains, consumers in regional countries and those providing services. Food legumes/pulses are the most benign of foods - they hold a valuable and traditional role within food industries Africa-wide, and people are familiar with the foods that are produced. These foods are prepared in kitchens across the continent each day and, mixed with cereals, provide the sustenance required for work, school and play. Whether as beans, cowpeas, groundnuts or lentils, food legumes/pulses - quite literally - feed Africa protein.

Peter Steele

Agricultural Engineer

Melbourne, Australia

04 November 2016

As regards increasing consumption of pulses, in my own part of the world, Nigeria, one of the things that discourage the working woman from its consumption is the tedious process it takes to get it ready to be eaten. The "local" woman does not have this type of challenge. For instance, sitting down to hand pick the dirts from the whole after a day's work and also varieties around here take longer time to cook. If one wants to process it into other dishes, dehusking it too takes time as well. 

There are many points in the towns where pulses are cooked in different forms and sold; again,it is the "local" people that patronise them. The educated elite would not "stoop so low" as to patronise these sellers. (Except in eateries where their prices could be prohibitive)

There isn't much problem with green peas as they are readily cooked without much hassles but then, the quantity eaten is usually small. They are often cooked with rice etc. i.e. hardly eaten alone on their own. 

Pulses are  benevolent crops with many advantages for both man and his land.  Pulses are redeeming, nourishing the soil back to fertility for other crops to grow in successfully thus sustaining humanity.  Its rich store of fibre, protein and other essential nutrients make it stand out in the food chain.

They can be combine with other food categories to make delicious dishes. In my country they go well to make grain puddings delicious and easy to take. We combine them to make tuber food more tantalising and nutritious. In other instances they are made into sweet smelling, nice tasting soups that make one request more wraps of locally processed tuber or grain solids.   Indeed, their affordability, compared to animal protein, reduces the incidence of malnutrtion in low resource setting. 

We emphasise generous consumption of well prepared pulses (in the form they prefer) together with the bulky carbohydrate foods in our positive living training programs to boost the nutrtional status of our clients.

So much has been written about this ubiquitous category of food and so much shall still be discovered as knowlede expands on it!

English translation below

Para aumentar el consumo de legumbres debemos enfocarnos en la preparación. El común de las personas está acostumbrada a las pocas recetas tradicional las cuales no han evolucionado a través del tiempo. Se necesita darle un grio a la preparación de las legumbres, preparaciones con recetas y técnicas modernas. Es necesario introducir nuevos ingredientes y acompañantes para hacerla más atractiva al consumidor.

Para fortalecer la cadena de valor, es necesario que los transformadores de alimentos (chefs, restaurantes, mercados, industria) compren directamente al productor y eliminar el intermediario. También reconocer un valor adicional a los productores que se esfuerzan por la sostenibilidad, lo orgánico, el cambio climático y demás indices sostenibles.

Saludos,

To increase the consumption of pulses we should focus on the cooking process. Most people are used to few traditional recipes that have remained unchanged over the years. We need to change the way in which pulses are cooked, embracing modern recipes and techniques. New ingredients and side dishes must be introduced to make pulses more attractive to consumers.

To strengthen the value chain, food processors (chefs, restaurants, markets, industry) must avoid middlemen and should buy their food products directly from the producers. Acknowledging the additional value of producers pursuing sustainability, organic agriculture, and climate change adaptation would also contribute to this reinforcement.

Regards,