Netherlands: Cultivation of legumes must be more attractive for farmers

Published Feb 13, 2024

Tridge summary

Legume cultivation in the Netherlands is currently limited due to low yields and lack of consumer demand, with less than 1% of the country's agricultural land used for this purpose. However, Stacy Pyett from Wageningen University & Research suggests that through breeding, similar to what was done with quinoa, the yield of legumes could be increased. She also emphasizes the need for collaboration between food scientists and breeders to meet the needs of the food industry and consumers. As demand for legumes increases, the sales market for Dutch farmers is expected to grow, potentially making it beneficial for them to switch crops, especially if they can also sell the rest of the plant.

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Original content

Beans, peas and other legumes are healthy and sustainable. Why don't we eat more of it in the Netherlands? Many efforts focus on tempting consumers. But that doesn't make any progress, sees Stacy Pyett, Proteins for Life program manager at Wageningen University & Research. 'The cultivation of legumes can be much more attractive for farmers.' Anyone who settles on any hectare of agricultural land has little chance of ending up among the bean plants. Less than one percent of the agricultural surface in the Netherlands is used for the cultivation of legumes, which are full of vegetable proteins. That amounts to 25,000 hectares. Why does the protein transition start so slowly? According to Pyett, the answer is clear: the chain from farmer via industry to consumer is barely moving. Consumers are not keen enough on eating beans. The industry wants to meet all kinds of different consumer needs, but is not doing this well enough with the existing range of legumes. And the farmer is ...

Source: Melkveebedrijf