Source: http://www.country-guide.ca/daily/joyce-boye-named-fao-pulse-ambassador
Canada’s pulse crop sector is celebrating the appointment of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Joyce Boye as the FAO’s special ambassador for the International Year of the Pulses (IYP) 2016.
Boye’s appointment was announced last month at a special event hosted by the FAO Liaison Office for North America in Washington, DC.
“I am humbled and delighted to accept this nomination of the FAO 2016 IYP Ambassador for North America and to work with the FAO to spread the word about the wonderful attributes of pulses,” Boye said in her acceptance speech.
Boye also shared her vision of a world of opportunities and called the audience to “imagine a world where the options for food preparation are as diverse as the crops one could choose from.”
“The International Year of Pulses is a great opportunity for farmers, food processors, consumers, governments and policy makers to come together to celebrate the many benefits of pulses and their contribution to global health, environmental sustainability and food security.”
Pulse Canada CEO Gord Bacon said in a release her appointment will help spread the word about the value pulse crops bring to global nutrition. Pulse Canada is the national association representing growers, traders and processors of Canadian pulse crops (peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas).
“Pulses have been nourishing people around the world for thousands of years,” Bacon said. “They are the perfect partner for healthy people and a healthy planet. They are a low fat, high fibre source of protein, and eating pulses can help manage health issues like diabetes and heart disease.
“Pulses are also a low carbon footprint food, are a water efficient source of protein, and are a key component of sustainable cropping systems,” he said.
Canada is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of pulse crops, which include pea, lentil, various types of beans, and chickpeas. In 2015, Canada exported six million tonnes of pulses worth nearly $4.2 billion. Its exports account for about approximately 35 per cent of global pulse trade each year.