Chapters 8.24

8.24-Value Addition of Chickpea

Cassandra Leblanc, University of Guelph, Canada

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Leblanc,C. (2022) Value Addition of Chickpea,In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

Introduction

Many countries across the globe cultivate chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and it is especially important in South Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African countries (Soltani and Sinclair, 2011). The chickpea is an essential part of the daily diet for many people in these regions as a major source of protein and carbohydrates (Soltani and Sinclair, 2012; Saxena and Singh, 1987). Desi and Kabuli are the two main varieties of chickpea that are cultivated (Saxena and Singh, 1987). Desi types are shorter, more angular, and smaller than kabuli and are often milled to be used as chickpea flour (Corp et al., 2004). Kabuli is rounder and larger than desi types and is cream-coloured and is often used for salads and curries (Corp et al., 2004). Kabuli chickpeas are often canned and sold on the market (Corp et al., 2004).

Chickpea is a valuable crop because as a legume, it fixes nitrogen (approximately 40kg N/ha) and it can be used in intercrop systems as well as in crop rotations (Pande et al., 2011). Farmers will need to use less nitrogen fertilizers if they plant chickpea because of its ability to fix nitrogen (Pande et al., 2011; Corp et al., 2004). Chickpea has a deep rooting system of up to four feet (Corp et al., 2004) and can therefore be effectively intercropped with crops that have shallower rooting systems like coriander and linseed (Pande et al., 2011). Chickpea is most often intercropped with barley, mustard, and wheat (Pande et al., 2011; Azar et al., 2013). Farmers should avoid planting chickpea in low-lying areas as the crop cannot tolerate wet soils, and irrigation and rain can delay maturation of the plant (Corp et al., 2004).

In developing regions of South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, farmers are often barely growing enough food to sustain their family, let alone make any kind of profit. Often when a farmer has leftover crop at the end of the growing season, a middle man is involved in making a higher-valued product out of it. However, the farmer is often given a small sum for their hard-earned crop, while the middle man makes much more money by bringing the crop to a processing site to add value. As chickpea is a major crop in these regions, this paper will suggest ways that the farmer themselves can add value to their chickpeas via processing. This paper will also discuss the equipment that farmers can use to process their crop as well as costs and packaging suggestions.

Value Addition

South Asia

South Asian countries where chickpea cultivation and consumption are common include Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh. A value addition idea for farmers growing chickpeas in these counties is a food stand at a market selling chickpea flour roti (besan ki roti) and chickpea curries. Besan ki roti is made with chickpea flour, whole wheat flour, chopped fresh cilantro, green chili, carom seed, salt, and water (Table 1). The link provided also has a gluten free version which replaces the whole wheat flour with any gluten free variety such as oat or rice flour. If the farmer has a home garden system, they may be able to grow the cilantro and chilies themselves. Paul et al (2015) found that chickpea grown with increasing rows of cilantro was shown to decrease pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) infestation, which severely reduces yield all throughout India, other parts of South Asia, as well as parts of the Middle East (Wubneh, 2016; Pande et al., 2011). Farmers may choose to intercrop chickpea and cilantro to control pod borer infestation. The cilantro that they do not use for their roti and curries can be dried and packaged for increased value at a market.

To make besan, dried chickpeas need to be milled. It is important that the chickpeas are completely dried or else they will not be ground properly. A farmer may choose to dry their chickpeas in the sun on a tarp, or they can purchase a small-scale dehydrator from a supplier such as the online Alibaba group. A small-scale vegetable dehydrator retails for $11USD and can be found in the corresponding link provided in Table 1. This dehydrator requires electricity, however, so it may be more viable to use the tarp method. After the chickpeas are thoroughly dried they can then be milled. A small-scale and low-cost manual grain miller can be purchased to mill the dried chickpeas into flour. The corresponding link (Table 1) shows an example of a corn mill grinder that retails for $27USD. If a farmer has access to electricity, they can purchase a slightly larger-scale electric miller for roughly $60-150USD (Table 1). This equipment may be purchased once the farmer has profited enough from their business and wishes to expand their operation. The roti can be made by hand in the traditional manner on a large cooking surface on a fire. The target market for besan ki roti are local roadside stands where they can be sold with a variety of curries, as rotis are best eaten fresh. If the farmer wishes to sell to a local grocery store, they could wrap them in a cellophane bag to keep it fresh for a couple days. To attract potential buyers, the packaging can emphasize that the rotis are handmade, local, and fresh. Cellophane food bags can be bought for cheap in bulk from an industrial supplier (Table 1)

Middle East

Middle Eastern countries where chickpea cultivation and consumption are common include Iran, Israel, and Jordan. Value addition ideas for farmers in these countries include a food stand selling hummus and falafel. Both falafel and hummus contain a lot of garlic, and farmers can choose to grow their own garlic on their plot of land. However, it is not known if these crops would work well together in an intercropping system. Falafel contains cilantro and parsley, however, which can be grown in intercrop with chickpea, as previously mentioned (Paul et al., 2015).

Falafels are made with dried chickpeas, so the farmer can use a small-scale vegetable dehydrator (Table 1) or they can dry them on a tarp in the sun. After the chickpeas are soaked, they are combined with herbs and other seasonings like lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and cumin and then placed in a food processor. If their access to electricity is limited, they can use a manual food blender (Table 1). If they have access to electricity they can opt for an electric blender (Table 1). To make hummus, fresh or soaked chickpeas are blended with ingredients like tahini paste, garlic, and olive oil. They can use the manual or electric blender to do so.

The target market for falafel and hummus is a roadside or market stand where they food can be sold fresh. Eventually the farmer may choose to package their food, and have it shipped to urban or local grocery stores.

North Africa

North African countries where chickpea cultivation and consumption are common include Algeria, Ethiopia, and Morocco. Value addition ideas for farmers in these countries include roasted chickpea snacks like leblebi (common in Algeria and parts of the Middle East) and dabocolo, a traditional Ethiopian chickpea snack. Nefro is also a common way that Ethiopians consume desi chickpeas. It is made with boiled wheat and salt. This is worth mentioning as chickpeas are often grown in intercrop systems with wheat and other cereals (Pande et al., 2011). Ethiopian “kolo” is a popular snack which is a mix of roasted grains like barley mixed with chickpea and sunflower seeds (Table 1). This can be achieved with an electric oven if they have access to electricity or they can use a small gas oven (Table 1). The farmer can sell their chickpea snacks at a roadside or market stand, which is often done in Ethiopia, or it can be packaged in cellophane bags and sold at a market.

Table 1: Recommended recipe and equipment links for chickpea processing

Helpful Links to Get Started

- Chickpea production guide: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/em8791.pdf

- Manual on small-scale fruit and vegetable processing: http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0209e/x0209e00.HTM

- Saxena and Singh (1987) book, “The Chickpea”, can be purchased at this link: https://www.amazon.ca/Chickpea-Mohan-C-Saxena/dp/0851985718

- YouTube video of Besan ki roti recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a21lpI5Xcg8

- YouTube video of Falafel and hummus recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N-l_lBSoNk

- YouTube video of Nefro recipe (in Ethiopian with English subtitles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCZC8ZxpqRk

References

1. Azar, M. R., Javanmard, A., Shekari, F., Pourmohammad, A., & Esfandyari, E. (2013). Evaluation of yield and yield components chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in intercropping with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Cercetari agronomice in Moldova, 46(4), 75-85.

2. Corp, M., Machado, S., Ball, D., Smiley, R., Petrie, S., Siemens, M., & Guy, S. (2004). Chickpea production guide. Oregon State University. Retrieved from https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/em8791.pdf

3. Pande, S., Sharma, M., Ghosh, R., Rameshwar, T., & Reddy, D. R. (2011). Chickpea diseases and insect pest management. Euphytica, 182(182), 1-9.

4. Paul, S. K., Mazumder, S., Mujahidi, T. A., Roy, S. K., & Kundu, S. (2015). Intercropping coriander with chickpea for pod borer insect suppression. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 11(5), 307-310.

5. Saxena, M. C., & Singh, K. B. (1987). The chickpea. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International, Wallingford, U.K.

6. Wubneh, W. Y. (2016). Biological control of chickpea pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): A global concern. World Scientific News, 2(45), 92-110.