Project Description
The Global Bean is a vibrant and growing European network made up of farmers, gardeners, seed savers, cooks, researchers, and citizens dedicated to cultivating and promoting legumes. The project supports the transition to more sustainable dietary practices that benefit both human health and the environment. Its multilingual platform serves as a space for sharing knowledge, organizing events, and creating useful resources that inspire a shift toward healthier, more sustainable, and more diverse eating habits.
Mission and Significance
The project aims to increase the cultivation and consumption of legumes across Europe and beyond, recognizing their crucial role in transforming global food systems and combating climate change. Thanks to their unique biological characteristics, legumes are low-emission crops, reduce dependence on mineral fertilizers, and have a positive impact on ecosystems and human health. In addition, they are a high-protein, healthy, and often more affordable food source compared to animal-based proteins.
Activities
The Global Bean was launched in 2021 through the Global Field Movement, with the support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV), and today it brings together more than 100 partners from 37 countries. Through active collaboration, the project promotes:
- publications and fact sheets,
- cultivation guides for legumes,
- video materials from the “Show Gardens” and the “Behind the Seeds” series,
- online seminars, culinary events, and seed festivals.
Serbia’s Contribution
Within the Global Bean network, the Seed Association of Serbia actively participates, representing our country in the European community dedicated to legumes. As part of the project, practical cultivation guides for several legume species have been developed and translated into Serbian—specifically for broad beans, soybean-edamame, and chickpeas: Soja_Edamame_Uputstvo za gajenje, Naut_Uputstvo za gajenje
