Old varieties of crops can be the food of the future - "It is a growing interest"

There are several ongoing projects where the purpose is to spread knowledge about new and old legumes and cereals.

It can partly be about cultural heritage crops such as justice pea and goatland lentils.

But there are also farmers in Sweden who try to grow quinoa in Sweden, a crop that otherwise grows wild in South America.

One of the projects is run by the Swedish Household Society.

- There is a growing interest, not only for legumes but also cereals, says Anna-Karin Landin who is a food consultant at Hushållningssäsllskapet.

Interested in large households

Some of the explanations for the growing interest are an increased climate commitment, the dry summer of 2018 which made many growers think twice and that some farms see a change to other crops as a way to survive.

According to Anna-Karin Landin, one of the markets that is interested in the cultural heritage crops is large households. 

- They make climate menus and terribly like to have peas and legumes in their menus and Swedish-produced, but right now the supply is too small.