Abstract:
Legumes are important components of sustainable
farming systems. They are useful to diversify and
intensify cropping systems as double, catch, relay
and intercrops; fix ‘free’ nitrogen to soils from the
atmosphere and improve soil health that boost cereal
crop yields; act as rotation crops for breaking disease
and pest cycles; increase and diversify smallholder
incomes (and hence buffer them from the effects
of price, pest and climate-related production
fluctuations); enhance quality of household diets
because of their higher protein and micro-nutrient
content compared with starch-based staple cereal
crops; and provide good sources of animal feed (high
protein crop residues and byproducts) and low carbon
footprint, mitigating climate change