In the design of the project's communication campaign, a series of priority lines were established that marked the actions from the beginning of said communication campaign. The main elements of this communication plan were the following: public relations work supported by the different press releases that were prepared on the evolution of the project and the results obtained; dissemination events with great importance due to their number and the possibility of communicating practical information on the results of the project; coverage in social networks to disseminate and cover all the actions carried out by the LegSapiens Operative Group with a specific digital strategy to develop the presence in social networks. The action plan addressed the different target audiences that this project aims to reach: farmers and producers in the primary sector; the administration and society in general. https://www.upa.es/upa/noticias-upa/legsapiens-jornada/2023/4743/ https://www.upa.es/upa/noticias-upa/Legsapiens-revierte-retroceso-legum… https://www.upa.es/upa/noticias-upa/concluye-LegSapiens/2023/4907/

The global economic analysis by crop offers us variable data for each crop. Without taking into account operations, labour or amortisation, in the case of chickpeas the effective annual cost on dry land average is 138.17 euros/ha, for lentils on dry land 166.39 euros/ha or 143 euros/ha for peas on dry land. In the Duero area, the economic effects of false sowing, the use of an ecological harrow or crops or the use of service crops such as oats were accounted for. In the central area, work was done on modifying the normal sowing dates with the aim of analysing weed control and the use of inputs. This procedure involves eliminating the expenditure on phytosanitary products and an increase in the cost of the work with an increase of two passes by the cultivator, that is to say, around 15 euros/ha. The best result was obtained in the conventional agriculture plot, with the elimination of the use of herbicide in a late sowing without mechanical weeding in a fresh dry land, with a profit of 227 €/ha. In the Ebro area, the economic effects were analysed in 4 different scenarios. In two of these scenarios, soybeans were used as the only crop and in the other 2, as part of a double harvest. After one year of study, single-crop soybeans with rye cover and herbicide yield higher profits (between 1263 and 2289 €/ha depending on the variety) than soybeans in which herbicide is not applied. The wheat-soybean scenario in relay cropping would present a profit margin (1734 €/ha as an average of the 3 varieties tested) similar to that of the double wheat-soybean crop (1658 €/ha as an average of the 3 varieties tested).

Establishment of soybeans on ground cover using a seeding system consisting of a combination of roller-crimper and a direct-sowing monograin seeder. The sowing of soybeans on a rye ground cover presents a series of interesting elements such as soil coverage throughout the year and a relative capacity for weed control. This technique requires, however, greater technical development and careful completion of the cover, direct sowing of soybeans, and control of the establishment of the crop. On the other hand, beans can be integrated into current corn monocultures as an alternative in crop rotation, giving rise to various agronomic and environmental benefits since it involves nitrogen fixation in the soil and lower water consumption. In frost-free areas, it may be interesting to grow them after winter forage. Chickpeas can be integrated into current winter cereal monocultures as an alternative in crop rotation, giving rise to various agronomic and environmental benefits since they involve nitrogen fixation in the soil and allow breaking the cycle of weeds and cereal pests. On the other hand, they can provide a higher profitability than winter cereals for feed. Weed control is essential to achieve the objectives described.

As a result of this activity, interesting content was generated from the different initiatives that were launched in the different production areas. Specifically, in the central area, chickpeas were the selected species, where the sowing of a Pedrosillano type chickpea, such as Eulalia, in conventional sowing at 100 kg/ha is presented as a viable alternative to complement the rotations in extensive crops in the central area, especially in areas with a favourable climate, such as a fresh dry land in the Alcarria de Guadalajara. It is pointed out as a situation to improve the low sowing rates used. Regarding organic farming, the technique of late sowing for this area (March) with a conventional distance (17 cm) at 90 kg/ha, worked, since the crop developed without weed problems. In the Ebro area, double-crop pea/corn systems were used as an alternative to the more common barley/corn crop, with the development of chickpeas instead of barley, or the substitution of corn with soybeans or beans. Results have also been obtained on the intensification of production in double-crops with extra-early sowing of soybeans. Soybeans can be easily integrated into current corn monocultures, giving rise to various agronomic and environmental benefits, including lower nitrogen and irrigation water requirements, higher productivity of the following crop, diversification of active ingredients for weed control in corn, etc. In double-crop systems after winter cereal for grain (generally barley), it can be economically competitive compared to stubble or double-crop corn. However, its management, as with other legumes, requires greater control of the state of the crop. 

In order to standardize and make easier the access to information on legumes for human consumption, a database on evaluations of plant material has been developed. This database contains the most important information on the varieties of the different crops; variety name, cycle or maturity group, yield, weight of a thousand grains, protein concentration, oil content, location of the trial, year of the trial, source of information and others. This work was carried out for the following crops: broad bean, soybean, broad bean, lentil and chickpea. In a second phase, in the Ebro area, one of the previous crops, soybean, was selected with the aim of carrying out a test of different plant material. The work focused on the cultivation of soybean with varieties of different maturity groups and modifying the sowing dates. Finally, a biomass sampling of the variety trial was carried out, to determine the yield components and the quantification of the total above-ground biomass of the crop, with the publication of individual files that are They disseminated it to the production sector.

 

The work was carried out through personal interviews or meetings of working groups, divided into three areas (Ebro area, central area, and Duero area). The following opportunities for improving marketing have been detected, grouped by production area. In the Duero area, small or medium-sized local shops and a new model of “cooperative supermarket” based on a direct and trustworthy relationship with the producer, on the one hand, and with the consumer on the other. Also highlighted is the option of betting on distributors specialized in products with differential value at an environmental level, organized consumer groups, or the creation of electronic commerce that brings the final consumer closer. In the Central Area, the channels or consumption alternatives that were seen as an opportunity coincide with those established for the Duero Area. Finally, in the Ebro Area, the following were identified: collective catering that can take advantage of the existence of specifications that favor the use of legumes, traditional food stores, organized consumption (Consumer groups, consumer community) or new distribution companies (Short Marketing Channels).

The diagnosis of the production and marketing sector of legumes for human consumption recorded the following conclusions: instability of production, limited access to specialized machinery for the different species of legumes and access to qualified technicians and knowledge to improve production, difficulty in achieving economic profitability, lack of research and seed production and difficulties in meeting demand. In post-harvest work, the lack of post-harvest services in the territories to have an "impeccable" product and serve demanding customers (industry, communities, etc.) stands out, the lack of post-harvest technical training to meet customer requirements, the control of allergens or the high cost of labor when these tasks are carried out manually: packaging, review of the selection, etc. Finally, as regards marketing, we find a conventional market that is not favourable for small production, a lack of adequate distribution channels, no differentiation of quality products from white brands or a loss of the custom of cooking.