Aly Abousabaa, Director General of ICARDA
Food legumes offer myriad benefits for sustainable smallholder production systems. When used in crop rotations or intercropping, they can help increase levels of nitrogen in the soil, improving soil fertility, and subsequently crop productivity. They require minimum inputs, lowering the cost of production substantially. They are an excellent source of nutrients and proteins, enhancing food and nutritional security, especially for poor people. The potential they offer for climate-change adaptation is also substantial.
