ISLAMABAD: The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is organising a farmers’ market here on Tuesday (today), bringing together growers, government representatives, private sector actors, and development partners to help promote pulses and climate-smart agriculture.

The farmers’ market is being held to mark ‘World Pulses Day’.

The event in Peshawar will showcase FAO-supported agricultural value chains, including pulses and legumes, vegetables, edible oils, dairy products, and processed staples, while highlighting good agricultural practices, value addition, and market linkages.

The farmers’ market aims to raise public awareness on the importance of pulses for soil health, climate resilience, and food and nutrition security, and to encourage dialogue between farmers and market actors.

Pulses possess exceptional nutritional attributes and their cultivation provides immense environmental benefits. Nevertheless, their per capita consumption has declined in many countries – developed and developing.

Dietary shifts, changing consumer preferences, and a lingering perception in some contexts that pulses are a ‘humble’ or traditional food have contributed to this downward trend.

In several societies – particularly in urban areas – pulses are still associated with low-cost diets or rural cuisine.

The 2026 theme aims to challenge these misconceptions and celebrate the true excellence of pulses. They are nutrient-dense, versatile ingredients that are rich in protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. From improving human health to strengthening soil ecosystems, pulses merit a central place in modern, healthy, and sustainable diets.

The theme “pulses of the world: from modesty to excellence” therefore highlights this transformation – from humble origins to global recognition for their flavours, nutritional attributes and culinary diversity. World Pulses Day 2026 is a call for chefs, consumers, policymakers and producers to bring these remarkable crops back to the forefront of healthy and sustainable agri-food systems, where they rightly belong.

According to FAO, the amount of pulses traded is approximately 20 million tonnes per year. Ninety-seven million tonnes of pulses were produced worldwide in 2024. The global annual consumption of pulses is 7kg per capita on average; with the highest consumption in Africa and the lowest consumption in Europe. Pea is the most produced pulse in the European Union.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2026