Cultivation trial in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district shows potential for domestic marketing
DARMSTADT-DIEBURG – Small, protein-rich, and resistant to heat and drought: The chickpea is considered a legume with a bright future. Climate change is also making it attractive to farmers in southern Hesse. A recent cultivation trial now shows that the chickpea thrives here – with encouraging results.
Second year project
Under the motto "Here I am! Can the chickpea become native to southern Hesse?", the project is now in its second year. The first of six participating farmers has already harvested – with a surprising result: 4.5 tons of chickpeas. The remaining farms are expected to harvest their crops in the next two weeks.
In the 2024 trial year, the results were significantly more modest: Four farms participated, but only one was able to harvest enough to market. This was due to a lack of experience and, above all, excessively wet weather. Chickpeas prefer warm and dry conditions—a climate that is expected to become more common in southern Hesse in the future.
Establishment of a marketing structure
Since a successful harvest was initially uncertain, the farmers hadn't yet sought buyers for larger quantities. Now, the focus is shifting to establishing a marketing structure – supported by the Ökomodell-Region Süd (Southern Eco-Model Region ), which oversees the project. Three of the six participating farms operate organically, so they can offer both organic and conventional chickpeas in the future.
Consumer demand is growing
With their high protein content and versatility, chickpeas are particularly suitable for cafeterias, dining halls, and commercial kitchens—whether as hummus, falafel, gluten-free flour, or as an ingredient in salads, bowls, and stews. Interest is also growing in restaurants, grocery stores, and farm shops.
Tasting events in the Southern Eco-Model Region have already shown that the local chickpea is a hit: In one event, a long line formed in the canteen of the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, and the planned number of servings was significantly exceeded. The Freudenberg company in Weinheim also successfully tested the legume in 2024 and will again purchase a portion of its harvest.
Contribution to soil fertility
All project farms are currently using the "Rondo" variety, which proved to be the best yields in 2024. The chickpea also improves soil fertility: its roots form a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that fix nitrogen in the soil, saving fertilizer. Even though 2024 and 2025 weren't ideal chickpea years, the next hot and dry summer is sure to come.
background
The project "Here I am! Can the chickpea become native in Southern Hesse?" of the Southern Eco-Model Region provides knowledge about chickpea cultivation and develops structures for preparation, processing, and marketing. It will be funded by the State of Hesse in 2024 and 2025 as part of the 2020–2025 Eco-Action Plan.
(Gross-Gerau-PSGG)
