Beans and lentils could help future-proof UK farming, study says

Beans, peas and lentils could help UK farmers build more resilient rotations as climate change, soil pressures and fertiliser costs put traditional crops under strain, a new study will explore.

The University of East Anglia project will examine whether edible legumes can be reintroduced into rotations dominated by wheat, oilseed rape and potatoes.

Focused on Norfolk, one of England’s most productive farming regions, the research will look at whether crops such as beans, peas and lentils can improve soil health, reduce reliance on fertilisers and create more diverse farming systems.

It will also consider how a shift towards more UK-grown legumes could support sustainable diets and increase the availability of home-grown plant-based foods.

Madalitso Mgunda, a researcher from Malawi based at UEA’s School of Global Development, will lead the work, bringing experience in legume value chains and climate-resilient food systems.

She has more than six years’ experience in sustainable agriculture and food systems, including work with the World Food Programme supporting legume value chains.

Her research will focus on what would make edible legumes a more viable and attractive option for Norfolk farmers and the wider supply chain.

Ms Mgunda said some of the UK’s biggest crops were increasingly vulnerable to climate change.

She said: “The UK’s biggest crops - including wheat, barley, and potatoes - are highly vulnerable to climate change.

“Extreme heat, spring drought unseasonal flooding, together with changing disease and pest risks pose a real threat to the agricultural heartlands of East Anglia, Norfolk and the South East - resulting in major yield fluctuations and lost revenue.”

Legumes can fix nitrogen in the soil, potentially reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers while supporting soil health.

Ms Mgunda said they had been used extensively for this purpose until the mid-20th century, when synthetic chemical fertilisers became widely available.

In many cases, edible legumes have since been dropped from farm rotations and replaced by more intensive cereal and potato cropping.

She added: “Legumes have enormous potential to contribute to more resilient farming systems, healthier diets and lower environmental impacts, but their production remains limited.

“This research will explore the realities facing Norfolk farmers and the wider supply chain, helping to identify what changes would be needed to make legume production a more viable option in the future.”

The study will combine interviews with farmers, processors and industry stakeholders with climate suitability data to examine the opportunities and barriers around growing edible legumes in UK farming systems.

This will include practical, market and supply chain challenges.

The work is being supported through the 2026 Norfolk International Scholarship, announced at the Royal Norfolk Show.

As part of the scholarship, Ms Mgunda will work with researchers at UEA’s Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development and visit comparable legume systems in Europe.

Professor Nitya Rao, director of the Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development, said legumes offered opportunities for both environmental sustainability and farm resilience.

She said: “Legumes offer significant opportunities to improve environmental sustainability and farm resilience, yet questions remain about how these crops can fit within existing systems.

“This project will provide valuable insights into the practical conditions needed to support wider adoption.”

The Norfolk International Scholarship is delivered in partnership with the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, the Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development and the JC Mann Charitable Trust.

It supports research aimed at addressing key challenges facing agriculture while delivering practical benefits for Norfolk’s farming community.

Although legumes offer environmental and agronomic advantages, they currently make up only a small proportion of UK arable crops.

Mark Nicholas, chief executive of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, said the work was highly relevant to Norfolk’s farming sector.

He said: “Understanding how alternative crops such as legumes could contribute to resilient and profitable farming systems is highly relevant to Norfolk’s agricultural sector.

“We are proud to support research that is both academically rigorous and directly connected to the needs of our farming community.”

The project will examine what changes in markets, processing, supply chains and farm practice would be needed to make UK-grown edible legumes a more realistic option for growers.