The past and present economic importance of pulses: their historical role in crop rotation and factors influencing their development

Fodder and grain legumes have played an important historical role in the emergence of agriculture. Since the 1950s, the combined effect of the intensification of livestock farming (supported by massive imports of soya into Europe), and European policy support for cereal and oilseed production (backed by the massive production of nitrogen fertilisers derived from imported fossil fuels) have reduced the share of pulses in French and European agriculture. Today, there is growing socio-economic demand for (i) more sustainable crop and livestock production systems that take into account input costs and environmental impacts, and (ii) traceability and food safety for the products consumed. This new context is conducive to the development of pulses, which offer, (i) for producers, the advantage of being able to fix atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with rhizobial bacteria, as well as the ability to be easily integrated into various cropping systems, and (ii) for human and animal consumers, the benefit of producing proteins of high nutritional value. This development, which will contribute to greater EU self-sufficiency in protein resources, will require close coordination between policy-makers, industry stakeholders and civil society organisations.