How Local Pulses Support Sustainable Food Systems through Feed Formulation

We often talk about eating organic. But what if the meat on our plates came from animals fed organic, locally grown food?

In the Philippines, where livestock feeds often rely on imported and genetically modified organism (GMO) ingredients, local indigenous pulses—such as mung beans and kadyos—can support a more sustainable and organic food system through feed formulation.

Turning Indigenous Pulses into Livestock Feed

In Filipino households, local crops and vegetables are incorporated into our meals to ensure that we obtain all the nutrients we need. Similarly, SEARICE partner animal science researchers are incorporating local crops into livestock feed to promote optimal health and growth in swine and poultry.

Like humans, livestock animals require essential nutrients for growth and production. However, reliance on imported ingredients and the limited supply of quality feed materials can make this challenging.

To address this, SEARICE  partner agriculturists formulate feeds by incorporating locally available pulses, which provide the nutrients necessary for optimal animal nutrition.

Jundel Gonzaga, an instructor in animal science at Central Philippines State University, explained that indigenous pulses, such as mung beans and kadyos, undergo simple heat treatment and grinding before being incorporated into livestock feed. Once processed, these locally grown legumes can serve as organic protein sources in swine and poultry diets.

How Local Pulses Support Smallholder Farmers

Kadyos, also known as pigeon peas, are a type of indigenous legume widely grown in the Philippines, especially in the region.

Pulses such as mung beans and kadyos have strong potential to support safe, organically grown, and nutritious food production, in line with agroecological principles.

These legumes are rich in nutrients, particularly crude protein, which animals can use to produce high-quality meat. This makes them excellent substitutes for expensive imported ingredients, such as soybeans and corn. Feeds enhanced with kadyos and mung beans contain highly digestible protein that animals can efficiently use to build their bodies, supporting healthy growth even with the same amount of feed.

Moreover, recent statistics show that over 73% of pulses in the Philippines are imported. By turning to locally grown kadyos as alternatives, farmers reduce reliance on imports while strengthening environmentally sound livestock production.

Accordingly, research published by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute supports this approach, noting that sustainable sourcing practices, such as using local crops in feed formulation, lay the foundation for resilient food systems. Incorporating local feed ingredients contributes to economic diversification, reduces the environmental footprint, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.

Scalable and Farmer-Friendly Feed Solutions

Kadyos and mung beans are resilient crops that thrive in rocky or upland areas, requiring minimal inputs and only simple direct seeding. This allows farmers to start small and gradually scale production to meet demand.

Feeds enhanced with these legumes can be produced in large quantities at low cost. They also naturally enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation, a process in which root bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients that improve soil health and support plant growth.

Powdered feed product with incorporated kadyos and mung beans.

Looking ahead, these pulses can also be processed into powdered feed products, serving as substitutes for commercial protein supplements while maintaining their organic and sustainable qualities.

“Yun yung the best [way] kasi matagal yung storage life ng mga beans natin pag na-process nang mabuti. Especially pag na-dry, less than 14% yung moisture natin. Kaya ma-store in years, pag maganda ang storage natin,” Gonzaga said.

[“That’s the best way because the storage life of our beans is much longer when they are properly processed. With moisture below 14%, they can be stored for years if dried and kept in good conditions,” Gonzaga said.]

Overcoming Production Challenges: Making Indigenous Feeds Accessible to Smallholders

Some of the challenges the researcher encountered include the high energy required to mass-produce the feed formulation. An example he shared is the need for fuel to dry and boil the beans to remove their harmful proteins. 

“Yung pag-crack ng beans natin, kailangan ng machinery. So, mahirap sya pag i-crack by hand kasi maliliit at matitigas. So, energy-intensive sya actually pag maramihan na.” Gonzaga said.

[“Cracking the beans requires machinery. It’s difficult to do by hand because the beans are small and hard. So, when done on a large scale, it becomes energy-intensive,” Gonzaga said.]

For this reason, focusing on smallholder-farmer-based seed production keeps the process manageable while supporting sustainable and locally sourced feed. This approach enables smallholder farmers to gradually increase pulse production while lowering production costs, helping to meet the growing demand for organic livestock feed.

Supporting Farmers, Strengthening Biodiversity

At SEARICE, we believe that conserving and using local pulses is key to supporting farmer seed systems. These pulses form the foundation that enables smallholder farmers to actively contribute to the adaptive management of resilient agricultural and food systems. By prioritizing their production, we can promote safe and sustainable agriculture that supports human and animal health, strengthens livelihoods, and protects ecological well-being.

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Feed Formulation and the Benefit-Sharing Fund Project

Funded by the Benefit-Sharing Fund (BSF) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), the feed formulation is one of the initiatives under the two-year BSF project.

By maximizing the use of local plant resources, feed formulation aligns with the project's goal of improving on-farm productivity, expanding livelihood opportunities, diversifying food options for food and nutrition security, and enhancing agricultural biodiversity.

BSF-5 is one of the projects funded worldwide by the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.