Projects per year
Abstract
Partial shifts from animal-based to plant-based proteins in human diets could reduce environmental pressure from food systems and serve human health. Grain legumes can play an important role here. They are one of the few agricultural commodities for which Europe is not nearly self-sufficient. Here, we assessed area expansion and yield increases needed for European self-sufficiency of faba bean, pea and soybean. We show that such production could use substantially less cropland (4–8%) and reduce GHG emissions (7–22% current meat production) when substituting for animal-derived food proteins. We discuss changes required in food and agricultural systems to make grain legumes competitive with cereals for farmers and how their cultivation can help to increase sustainability of European cropping systems.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 100723 |
Journal | Global Food Security |
Volume | 39 |
Early online date | 25 Oct 2023 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Print publication - Dec 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 The Authors
Keywords
- Faba bean
- Pea
- Protein production
- Soybean
- Yield gap analysis
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Dive into the research topics of 'Grain legume production in Europe for food, feed and meat-substitution'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Legume Gap: Increasing productivity and sustainability of European plant protein production by closing the grain legume yield gap
Watson, C. (PI) & Topp, K. (PI)
1/04/19 → 30/06/22
Project: Research