Morocco Declaration on Pulses endorsed at ICP 2016

The International Conference on Pulses for Health, Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture in Drylands (ICP), which took place in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 18-12 April has endorsed the Morocco Declaration on Pulses as Solutions to Food and Nutrition Security, Agricultural Sustainability and Climate Change Adaptation which was adopted in May 2016 by the over 400 participants to the conference. The Morocco Declaration recommends to increase global pulses production by 20% from the current level by 2030 through closing the yield gaps, expansion in new niches that include intensification of rice fallows with pulses, and short season windows in existing intensive cropping systems; it also reaffirms the need for partnerships amongst countries in scientific and technical arenas. The Morocco Declaration recognizes that pulses production has significantly lagged behind the rising demand in the developing world in spite of many benefits of pulses, which are a win-win for people and the environment – healthier soils, low carbon and water footprints, and greater household nutritional security, while also generating extra income for farmers.