Main research questionChickpea is a crop that is currently not yet established in Flanders. With Kik-Love we want to highlight the cultivation of chickpea. Together with two pioneer farmers, we will evaluate the cultivation technique and look for local food companies to process the locally grown chickpea.
Chickpea: Protein grown in Flanders
Main research questionChickpeas are wildly popular today and have a wide variety of uses, pure or processed, in a variety of delicious dishes. However, currently the cost price of locally grown chickpea is significantly higher than the current world market price, and local cultivation of chickpea is not yet profitable.
Building a local chickpea processing chain
ILVO starts breeding CHICKPEA
Of all the protein crops suitable for human consumption, after soy, chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is particularly promising for cultivation and local processing in Flanders and Northwest Europe.
Quinoa, soy, chickpea, dry beans...and the parched field of 2022: results
Quinoa, soy, chickpea and dry bean, intended for the human food chain, are hardly grown in our region at present, if at all. But they represent promising new agricultural crops in ILVO's cultivation and/or breeding research.
ChicoryDry beansEdamameCalendula 2020 / 2017Chickpea(Grass)/CloverLentilsAlfalfaMiscanthusOil pumpkinRussian dandelionSoy 2020 / 2017Sorghum(grain) (fodder)Quinoa 2020 / 2017Field beanFlax
The KIPEi project is investigating whether it is technically possible and economically interesting for these growers to grow edamame, chickpeas or red kidney beans. Research approachThrough a grower network, interested greenhouse growers, both conventional and organic, are helped to start growing various protein crops in their cold greenhouses.
Hummus and falafel made from Belgian-grown chickpeas: starting today, for the first time, now available at Delhaize.
Because of the lower levels of certain amounts of essential amino acids, there is a need for clever combinations, such as the combination of rice (rich in methionine and cysteine, and low in lysine) and beans (low in methionine and cysteine, and high in lysine).Protein-rich plants include legumes such as soy [dossier soy], edamame, chickpeas, lentils
Examples are quinoa, chickpea, and sorghum. Furthermore, some species are already known in the Flemish agricultural context, but that are still underutilized or may gain in importance if we are more likely to suffer from drought during the growing season. Examples are tall fescue and alfalfa. Also read the dossier on Water in agriculture.
However, local production of legumes, such as soybean, chickpea, dry pea and bean can offer interesting opportunities for Flemish farmers. This allows them to broaden their crop rotation, which contributes to greater crop diversity, better risk spreading, and interruption of the growth cycles of pests and diseases.