ISLAMABAD:  Pulses bring diversity to agri-food systems and keeping this fact in view the ‘World Pulses Day’ being observed on Monday carries the slogan of “Love pulses for a healthy diet and planet”.

These nutrient-dense crops are rich in protein, fibre and carbohydrates and provide nourishment while enhancing sustainable farming practices. By diversifying our crop systems, pulses help break cycles of diseases, pests and weeds, while enriching soil nutrients.

In Pakistan, pulses are the most important source of vegetable protein. They are cultivated on 5 per cent of the total cropped area. Their use ranges from baby food to delicacies of the rich and the poor. Because of the population growth, the demand for pulses is increasing day by day. There is a need to develop varieties with higher yield potential that respond to improved management practices so as to meet the increasing demand of pulses.

For health benefits, pulses contain about 20 to 25 per cent high quality protein and less than 2pc fat. One cup of cooked pulses provides more than half the daily recommended fiber intake. Packed with essential B vitamins and minerals, a single serving provides a significant portion of daily micronutrient requirements.

From farm to table, pulses are a key ingredient to healthier diets and more resilient agri-food systems. This year’s theme underscores the vital role of pulses in promoting diversity – both above and below the ground. When we integrate pulses into our diets and agri-food systems, we unlock a more sustainable, nutritious and equitable future, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.

Pulses are more than just a crop – they’re a solution to some of the biggest challenges in agriculture and nutrition.

“As a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture,” explains legume expert and FAO agricultural officer Teodardo Calles, “pulses have a unique ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and unlock soil-bound phosphorous making them essential for building resilient agri-food systems.”

Pulses are a subgroup of legumes, packed with nutrients and harvested for their delicious dried seeds. They include familiar favourites like beans, chickpeas and peas, but there is a whole world of pulse varieties to explore - all come with great benefits for food security, nutrition and health as well as environmental sustainability.

The consumption of pulses in Pakistan has increased steadily since 1960, and to meet the shortfall between consumption and production, imports have increased significantly since production of pulses has stagnated and not kept up with consumption.

During 2024-25 crop season, the production of Mash has been estimated at 5.77,000 tonnes from 7.48 thousand acres, showing an increase of 6.6 per cent and 3.3 per cent in area and production respectively over the last year.

Pulses area a minor crop in Pakistan, however, there is a need to establish their sustainability in production with major crops like rice, wheat, sugar and cotton.

The main pulse crop is chickpeas (white gram) which is grown in the winter as is lentils (masoor) and are substitutes in production with the other winter crops which include wheat, oats, barley and maize.

However, chickpeas are grown on marginal lands and, due to their relatively low profitability, are generally considered not to be close substitutes for other winter crops. There are two main summer pulse crops; mung beans (green gram) and mash beans (black gram). They are substitutes in production for cotton, sugarcane, rice and maize. However, like the summer crops, they are not close substitutes in production due to their relatively low profitability.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2025