Primary producers lack a clear market signal to switch to protein crops for human consumption. A further obstacle is the financial risk burden for individual farmers, which constitutes a strong barrier today to switching to more difficult-to-grow crops. There is also uncertainty about the secure sale of the raw material. The processing stage has been identified as a limiting factor in the cultivation of legumes but currently there are several initiatives in Sweden adressing the processing. 

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The project aims to explore how a clearly designed target from the authorities and targeted support can increase the production of legumes for human consumption in Sweden through a policy experiment.

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Relevance to the mission

Dividing the risk in the value chain by targeted support structures for farmers (growers and processors) to increase sustainable food production, with a focus on sustainable proteins such as legumes, are in line with the mission.

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Increased cultivation of legumes also contributes to increased variation in an otherwise cereal-dominated landscape. It promotes biodiversity by creating more types of habitats and food for wildlife. Increased crop variety can also reduce pressure from plant pests and thus reduce the use of plant protection products.

Idea and need

The project is based on a hypothesis that the lack of clear national targets for the cultivation of legumes hinders overall effective management of increased production. This project therefore wants to explore, in the form of a policy experiment, how a clear national target and targeted support and instruments, can increase the production of legumes for human consumption in Sweden.

The target set in this project is that 1/8 of all crop area where crop rotation is applied today should be used for the production of legumes primarily for human consumption. This corresponds to approximately 150,000 hectares of arable land. The target is based on the recommended cultivation interval of legumes to avoid crop rotation diseases.

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