World Pulses Day | 10 February

Pulses are the edible seeds of leguminous plants cultivated for both food and feed. Beans (Phaseolus and Vigna), chickpeas and peas are the most well-known and commonly consumed types of pulses, but there are several more varieties from around the world, all with great benefits for food security, nutrition, health, climate change, and biodiversity.

Why a World Pulses Day?

Building on the success of the International Year of Pulses (IYP) in 2016 implemented by FAO and recognizing the potential of pulses to further achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated 10 February as World Pulses Day (WPD).

This celebration presents a unique opportunity to raise public awareness about pulses and the fundamental role they play in the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

With the help of governments, the private sector, Members and partner organizations, the public and youth, FAO works to facilitate the observance of this international day and support the production and consumption of pulses as part of sustainable food systems and healthy diets.


Pulses: Bringing diversity to agrifood systems

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Pulses are an important and generally affordable source of protein. In regions where meat and dairy are not easily accessible, pulses provide communities with much–needed protein.

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Hosted by the Government of Peru, the World Pulses Day commemoration aims to promote the cultivation of these edible seeds, which accounted for 96 million tons worldwide in 2022

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The Peruvian Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI) and FAO are working together to organize the celebration of World Pulses Day 2025 in Lima, Peru.

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Pulses are an important and generally affordable source of protein. In regions where meat and dairy are not easily accessible, pulses provide communities with much–needed protein.

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Spilling the beans on chickpeas, cowpeas, lentils and more


Did you know?

Pulses are nutrient-dense, providing a good source of vitamins and minerals that are vital for good health

Pulses have a long shelf-life and help to increase the diversity of diets, while reducing food loss and waste

Pulses in multiple cropping systems enhance agrobiodiversity, climate change resilience and ecosystem services

Pulses fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, contributing to improving soil biodiversity and fertility

Including pulses in crop rotations can improve chemical fertilizer use efficiency

Pulses provide employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for rural women and youth


Events

WebBannerWPD25_eventPeru

Highlights

Red, green, white, black, brown… name a colour and we can give you a pulse! And what exactly is a pulse, you might ask? Well, pulses are a sub-group of legumes that are harvested for their dry seeds. Browse this FAO stories dedicated to these tiny, multi-coloured seeds and find out why you should include pulses in your diet!


Pulses for a sustainable future

Pulses have been around for ages! They grow almost all over the world, giving so much and asking for so little, pulses provide benefits other plants can only dream of.

 


Infographics

Check out this series of infographics based on the five fact sheets produced for the International Year of Pulses. Learn how pulses contributes to ensure food security, mainstream biodiversity, human health and nutrition, and how they help addressing climate change challenges.

 Join the conversation

Get Involved!

There are so many ways to get involved in the World Pulses Day celebrations, the Get Involved Guide and the communication materials are here to help you figure out where to get started!

World Pulses Day Get Involved Guide Get Involved Guide

World Pulses Day Communication Toolkit Communications materialsTrello_WPD Trello Board

Publications

Thematic Highlight
Celebrating the power of pulses

Find out more about the nutritional benefits of pulses, their contribution to sustainable food systems and a world without hunger



News

News
FAO announces the theme for World Pulses Day 2025
17/01/2025

The theme for this year's World Pulses Day (10 February 2025) is: “Pulses: Bringing diversity to agrifood systems”. Learn more about pulses and how...



Previous editions


See also