India hosts Global Pulses Convention-2024

Pulses Convention-2024

The Global Pulses Confederation (GPC) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) have collaborated to organize the Pulses Convention-2024 from February 14-17 in New Delhi, India. This is the first time in 18 years that GPC is holding the annual pulses convention in India.

The GPC represents the global pulses industry with the aim to promote sustainable production and consumption of pulses worldwide. NAFED is an Indian agricultural marketing cooperative that facilitates trade for farmers. Their partnership reflects shared interests in developing the pulses sector in India and globally.

Significance of the Pulses Convention-2024

As the world’s largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses, India plays a pivotal role in global food security. The convention provides a platform to discuss strategies to balance domestic demand and supply, reduce import dependence, and make India self-sufficient in pulses.

For other countries, it facilitates exchange of best practices, technological innovations and collaborative opportunities to position pulses as smart, sustainable crops.

Objectives of the Pulses Convention-2024

The main goals and focus areas of the 2024 Pulses Convention are:

Strategies for self-sufficiency in pulse production

Increasing MSP, boosting yields through new seed varieties, expanding cultivation, improving market linkages, and sharing global best practices.

Enhancing trade, sales, and networking within the global pulses industry

Providing opportunities for stakeholders across the value chain to connect, explore new markets, and strengthen the global pulses trade.

The role of pulses in environmental sustainability and nutrition

Promoting pulses as nutrient-dense crops that enrich soils, enhance biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions from agriculture, and improve food security.

Key Highlights of Pulses Convention-2024

Some key discussion points and outcomes the Global Pulses Convention 2024 include:

Production growth and partnership goals between GPC and NAFED

India’s pulses output grew 60% over the past decade. The partnership aims to further boost production and make pulses a global wonder diet.

Minimum Support Price (MSP) and its impact on farmers

Increasing MSP by up to 117% ensures attractive returns for farmers and encourages pulse cultivation.

India’s progress towards self-reliance in chickpeas and other pulses

India became self-sufficient in chickpeas. Efforts underway to achieve self-reliance across all major pulses by 2027.

Global knowledge sharing and focus on smallholding farmers

The convention facilitates exchange of best practices in pulses farming to benefit smallholder farmers worldwide.

Role of Pulses in Sustainable Agriculture

Pulses play a vital role in sustainable agriculture due to their nutritional value and environmental benefits.

Pulses as a superfood and their environmental benefits

Pulses are highly nutritious. As nitrogen-fixing crops, they enrich soils, reduce fertilizer use, promote biodiversity, and lower agriculture’s carbon footprint.

The importance of pulses in soil health and biodiversity

Pulses host rhizobium bacteria which fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, improving fertility. They facilitate nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration.

Pulses in the context of climate resilience and food security

Drought-tolerant pulses provide income stability for farmers. Affordable and shelf-stable, they are key to tackling malnutrition globally.

Global Pulse Production and Consumption

Pulses are an important crop globally, providing protein and nutrients to diets around the world. In 2024, global pulse production reached 96 million metric tons, up 60% from 2010. India is the largest producer at 25% of global output. Pulses play a major role in Indian diets, accounting for 27% of global consumption. However, domestic production does not meet demand, so India also imports 14% of the world’s pulses.

Key Pulse Production Countries

The top pulse producing countries in 2024 are:

• India: 24 million metric tons
• Canada: 6 million metric tons
• Myanmar: 4.5 million metric tons
• China: 2.8 million metric tons

These four countries account for over 50% of total global pulse production. While India and China are major consumers, Canada and Myanmar focus more on exports.

Challenges and Opportunities

Climate change threatens pulse yields due to rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and weather extremes like droughts and floods. Pulses are climate resilient, but yields still suffer from excessive heat or water scarcity.

Pulses prevent soil erosion and increase fertility through nitrogen fixation. Intercropping pulses with cereals boosts sustainability and yields of both crops, presenting opportunities to promote pulses as sustainable protein sources.

Technological and Research Advancements Needed

Latest innovations and research developments can help to boost pulse yields, quality, and sustainability.

Innovations in pulse production and processing

Focus on developing biofortified, high-yielding, and climate resilient pulse varieties; efficient harvesting, drying, milling and packaging solutions.

Investment in research and development for pulse crops

Increasing funding for national and international research on genetics, agronomy, plant breeding and biotechnology related to pulses.

India’s Pulses Production and Policies

The Indian government implemented the National Food Security Mission-Pulses to enhance domestic pulse production through improved seeds, farm technologies, and best practices. State and national policies also aim to make pulses affordable for low income consumers while still incentivizing farmers to expand pulse cultivation through minimum support prices and procurement programs.

Economic Importance

Pulses offer higher profit margins for farmers than cereal crops and provide income stability from volatile cereal prices. They are affordable sources of protein for both rural and urban households. The rising middle class in developing countries like India is increasing demand and imports.

Future Outlook

Global pulse production and trade are projected to expand over the next decade to meet increasing food demand and support sustainable development goals. The International Year of Pulses in 2016 and annual World Pulses Days have raised awareness of the benefits of pulses. This can influence agricultural policies and consumer preferences to utilize pulses for nutrition security and environmental sustainability.

Conclusion

Pulses make substantial contributions to incomes and diets globally. They are climate resilient, enhance soil health, and provide sustainable nutrition. Realizing their full potential requires policies and technologies to boost yields plus efforts to inform consumers of their benefits. If utilized widely, pulses can improve food security and environmental sustainability around the world.