Furthermore, this initiative aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by enhancing protein intake and promoting food security, SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by improving nutrition and reducing disease risks, and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by empowering women farmers. It contributes to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by creating livelihood opportunities for youth and marginal farmers, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and SDG 15 (Life on Land) by conserving agrobiodiversity.

Reviving legumes is therefore not just an agricultural intervention but a holistic development strategy for Uttarakhand. It links farmers to markets, restores dietary balance for marginal households, empowers women with seed and nutrition sovereignty, provides meaningful work for youth, and strengthens ecological resilience. The outcomes of such a project will ripple far beyond individual households, contributing to resilient rural economies, healthier communities, and a balanced relationship between people and the environment. In the fragile Himalayan region, where challenges of migration, climate change, and malnutrition intersect, legumes can emerge as a symbol of hope—nourishing bodies, restoring soils, and empowering communities.

For rural youth, migration in search of jobs has become a common phenomenon, leaving behind abandoned farmlands and weakened farming traditions. Legumes offer a promising alternative by providing low-input, high-nutrition, and marketable crops that can be cultivated even in rainfed and resource-constrained areas. Encouraging youth entrepreneurship in legume-based value chains—processing, packaging, and marketing of pulses, snacks, and nutraceuticals—can generate local employment and reduce outmigration. Such innovations can create self-reliant rural economies where young people are not compelled to leave but can envision dignified livelihoods within their communities.

Marginal communities in Uttarakhand depend heavily on locally available foods for their survival. The decline in legume cultivation has contributed to dietary imbalance, protein deficiency, and growing dependence on external food sources. By identifying and promoting elite varieties of French bean, soybean, and horse gram, rich in proteins and nutraceutical compounds, the project addresses the dual challenge of nutrition and livelihood insecurity. Moreover, the ecological benefits of legumes—nitrogen fixation, soil fertility improvement, and reduced need for chemical fertilizers—make them a cornerstone for sustainable agriculture in fragile Himalayan ecosystems. This contributes directly to climate resilience, reducing vulnerability of smallholders to erratic rainfall and degraded soils.

The revival of legumes in Uttarakhand resonates strongly with the One Health programme, which emphasizes the interdependence of human health, animal health, and environmental health. Increased legume consumption will improve human nutrition and immunity, reducing the burden of protein-energy malnutrition and associated diseases. Reduced reliance on chemical fertilizers through biological nitrogen fixation will lower risks of soil and water contamination, benefiting both ecosystems and livestock health. The integrated approach ensures that human well-being, ecological stability, and agricultural sustainability are advanced together.

Legumes are more than just crops; they are lifelines for nutrition, livelihoods, and ecological sustainability. In Uttarakhand, pulses like French bean, soybean, and horse gram have long been integral to farming systems, diets, and cultural practices. Rich in proteins, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins, they are nature’s gift for combating malnutrition, especially in rural and marginal communities that cannot afford animal protein. At a time when the state is grappling with declining legume cultivation and reduced pulse consumption, revitalizing these crops offers a pathway to food and nutritional security, farmer prosperity, and ecological resilience. This effort aligns closely with the global One Health programme, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human health, agricultural sustainability, and ecosystem integrity, as well as with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The decline of legumes in Uttarakhand is striking. From contributing 43.53 metric tonnes in 2010–11, pulse production fell sharply to 9.38 metric tonnes in 2016–17. The yield of French bean, soybean, and horse gram has remained static for years due to the absence of high-yielding, disease-resistant, and climate-resilient varieties. For smallholders, women, and youth in rural areas, this decline translates into reduced availability of affordable protein and shrinking livelihood opportunities. Women, who are often the custodians of traditional seeds and farming knowledge in the hills, are disproportionately affected. Their critical role in household nutrition, seed conservation, and small-scale farming positions them as key stakeholders in any revival strategy. Empowering women farmers with access to superior legume varieties, training, and seed banks will not only strengthen family nutrition but also enhance their decision-making power and income security.