Growing Food: A Guide to Food Production

Highly variable, according to variety, climate, cultural practice, etc. The UK average
is about 3 MT/ha. 7 or 8 MT/ha is feasible, with good conditions, while Argentina
often produces record yields of 9 MT/ha.
The fresh, green pods that are eaten as a vegetable yield about 12 MT/ha.

UTILISATION

East they are baked first, to produce “Ful midamis”. In Ethiopia they are ground

into porridge, and in India they are sometimes roasted and eaten like groundnuts.

LIMITATIONS

to excessive or sudden heat, or to mechanical damage such as rough handling.

Chickpea

Cicer arietinum

Café Francais, Ceseron, Cicérolé, Ciche, Gairance, Garvance, Gairoutte, Pois Bécu,
P.Blanc, P.Breton, P.Café, P.Chabot, P.Chiche, P.Citron, P.Cornu, P.de Brebis,
P.Gris, P.Pointu, P.Tête de Belier (French); Kichererbse (German); Garbanzo,
Gravancos, Sigró (Spanish); Grão de Bico, Chicaro, Ervanço (Portuguese); Pisello
Cece, Pisello Cornuto, Ceci, Cesari, Cesco, Spizole (Italian); Kikart (Sweden);
Blukkeert (Norway); Erevinthos (Greece); Yellow Gram (East Africa); Hummous,
Kabkaza, Kebkabeik (Sudan); Dwergertjie (South Africa); Attah (Tigray); Shimbra
(Ethiopia,Shumburaa in Oromifa)*; Chola, Chana, Chono, Chota But, Chunna,
Kadale, Sangalu, Adas (India); Nakud, Nokhut (Iran); Nakhud (Pashtu and Dari)

YIELD

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Normally it is the dry mature beans of Vicia faba which are eaten. In the Middle

Modern food industries have produced meat and skim-milk substitutes from

The beans are also suitable for sprouting.

broad beans.

The green immature pods are often used, either boiled as a vegetable, canned or

frozen. The haulm can be fed to animals.

The crop is sometimes used for green manure, or silage.

Yields of Vicia faba are very variable, often as a result of difficulties with

pollination, including flower loss.

The grain is deficient in sulphur amino acids methionine and cystine.

Favism, especially serious when food products are fed to children.

Susceptible to insect and disease attack, both in the field and in storage.

Relatively high water requirement.

The seed is quite fragile; germination rates can fall dramatically if it is subjected

GROWING FOOD – THE FOOD PRODUCTION HANDBOOK

Bengal Gram, Calvance pea, Chestnut Bean, Chich (pea), Chick-pea, Dwarf Pea,
Egyptian pea; Garbanzo(a) (Bean), Gram (pea), Indian Gram, Yellow Gram;