World Pulses Day 2025: Celebrating the Power of Pulses for a Sustainable Future

Author: Bapi Gorai , Senior Practitioner

World Pulses Day, observed annually on February 10th, serves as a global celebration of the remarkable role pulses play in shaping a sustainable future.? This UN initiative, born from the success of the FAO's 2016 International Year of Pulses, returns in 2025 with a compelling theme: "Pulses: Bringing Diversity to Agrifood Systems." This theme encapsulates the multifaceted contributions of pulses, highlighting their power to enrich soil health, diversify our food systems, and pave the way for sustainable nutrition, enhanced biodiversity, increased farm productivity, and fortified global food security.? Each year, World Pulses Day focuses on a different facet of these benefits, from promoting pulses for healthy futures to recognizing their crucial role in sustainable farming.

Pulses—a diverse family including lentils, chickpeas, black grams, green grams, pigeon peas, various beans, and peas—are nutritional powerhouses. These edible seeds, harvested from leguminous plants, are fundamental to global food security.? They offer a potent combination of high protein content, a remarkably low environmental impact, and the ability to naturally enhance soil fertility.? Pulses are packed with protein, the building block of muscle growth and repair, and are rich in dietary fiber, which aids digestion and helps regulate cholesterol levels.? Furthermore, they provide a wealth of essential micronutrients, including iron, vital for oxygen transport; potassium, important for heart health; and folate, crucial for cell growth and development.? This impressive nutritional profile makes pulses indispensable for maintaining overall health and well-being.

Beyond their nutritional value, pulses are champions of environmental sustainability.? They require significantly less water than other protein sources, making them a cornerstone of water-wise agriculture, particularly crucial in regions facing water scarcity.? Their remarkable nitrogen-fixing properties allow them to naturally enrich the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers, which can have detrimental environmental consequences.? Moreover, pulse cultivation boasts a considerably lower carbon footprint compared to livestock farming, positioning them as key players in mitigating the effects of climate change.? By choosing pulses, we contribute to a healthier planet.

The economic benefits of pulses are equally significant.? They provide an affordable and accessible source of nutrition, making them a vital food source for communities worldwide.? For farmers, pulses offer a pathway to financial stability due to their inherent climate resilience and adaptability to various farming conditions.? This resilience reduces the risk of crop failure in the face of unpredictable weather patterns, providing farmers with a more secure livelihood.

India stands as a global leader in the pulse sector, holding the top position in production, consumption, and imports.? Pulses play a vital role in India’s agricultural landscape, contributing substantially to the nation’s overall food grain production and occupying a significant portion of cultivated food grain area.? Millions of hectares across the country are dedicated to pulse cultivation, resulting in millions of tonnes of production annually.

While India’s pulse production has witnessed commendable growth over the years, several challenges persist.? Low yields compared to other major pulse-producing nations remain a significant concern.? The sector's vulnerability to climate change, particularly its dependence on the monsoon rains, poses a constant threat.? Market fluctuations, driven by supply-demand imbalances, can lead to price volatility, impacting both farmers and consumers.? Furthermore, inadequate storage infrastructure results in substantial post-harvest losses, affecting overall availability and reducing farmer incomes.

Organizations like Transforming Rural India (TRI), a development design company, are at the forefront of efforts to address these challenges and promote the wider integration of pulses into rural diets and farming practices.? TRI empowers farmers with training in climate-resilient pulse cultivation, emphasizing sustainable practices like crop rotation and organic farming techniques to enhance soil fertility and productivity.? They also work with Self-Help Groups (SHGs), particularly women, to encourage and support pulse processing and marketing initiatives, creating better livelihood opportunities for smallholder farmers.? TRI plays a crucial role in establishing and strengthening Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), providing farmers with collective bargaining power and improved access to markets.? Through awareness campaigns and community-driven initiatives, TRI champions the nutritional benefits of pulses, leading to increased consumption in rural households.

The government complements these efforts through a range of supportive schemes.? The Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) ensures minimum support prices for pulses and facilitates procurement through the Price Support Scheme (PSS). The National Food Security Mission (NFSM) supports sustainable agricultural practices and provides farmers with access to improved seeds, fertilizers, and modern technology.? The Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) encourages farmers in regions like Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh to transition from water-intensive crops like rice to pulses.? The Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) provides financial assistance for state-specific agricultural projects aimed at boosting pulse production.

World Pulses Day 2025 provides a vital platform to celebrate the diverse economic, environmental, and nutritional benefits of pulses.? The dedicated work of organizations like TRI exemplifies how a holistic approach, seamlessly integrating agriculture, nutrition, and community engagement, can create lasting positive change in rural India.? By recognizing and championing the power of pulses, we invest in a more resilient, sustainable, and food-secure future for all.