World Pulses Day
A/RES/73/251
A/RES/73/251
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
World Pulses Day is observed on 10 February. The United Nations General Assembly established the annual observance through resolution A/RES/73/251, adopted on 20 December 2018.
The day highlights pulses such as beans, lentils, chickpeas and peas as nutrient-dense foods and as crops that can contribute to diversified diets, soil health and more sustainable agrifood systems.
Why it matters
Pulses connect nutrition, farming and environmental questions. Their value is not limited to plant protein: many pulse crops can support crop rotations and biological nitrogen fixation, while their shelf life can make them useful in resilient food systems.
A responsible observance should avoid treating one crop as a universal solution. Local diets, water availability, farming systems, affordability and cultural preferences all shape how pulses can contribute to food security.
History
The observance builds on the International Year of Pulses 2016, which was led by FAO and increased international attention to the nutritional and environmental value of pulses.
Burkina Faso proposed an annual World Pulses Day. FAO’s Conference adopted Resolution 10/2017 on 7 July 2017 and transmitted the proposal onward for United Nations consideration.
On 20 December 2018, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/73/251 and designated 10 February as World Pulses Day. FAO identifies 2019 as the inaugural observance and continues to facilitate the day with governments and partner organizations.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
International Year of Pulses
World Pulses Day was created after and explicitly builds on the success of the International Year of Pulses 2016.
Government of Burkina Faso
UN and FAO sources identify Burkina Faso as proposing World Pulses Day after the International Year of Pulses 2016.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/73/251
First documented observance
FAO describes its February 2019 event as the inaugural World Pulses Day celebration following the General Assembly proclamation.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
FAO states that it works with governments and partner organizations to facilitate the observance of World Pulses Day.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Ways to observe
Cook a pulse-based dish and document how it fits the nutrition, cost and food traditions of the local community rather than presenting one recipe as universally appropriate.
Compare the role of pulses in crop rotations with another locally important crop and distinguish documented agronomic benefits from broad sustainability claims.
Reduce food waste by planning a meal around shelf-stable dried or canned pulses while following safe preparation and storage guidance.
Use FAO or another authoritative agricultural source to examine how pulse production, markets and consumption differ between regions.
Useful facts
World Pulses Day is observed every year on 10 February.
The General Assembly established the day through resolution A/RES/73/251 on 20 December 2018.
Burkina Faso proposed the annual observance after the International Year of Pulses 2016.
FAO works to facilitate World Pulses Day with governments and partner organizations.
The reviewed first-party sources do not provide a source-explicit historical reason for selecting exactly 10 February.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
Food and Agriculture Organization — Conference 2017 report / Resolution 10/2017 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/73/251 (opens in a new tab)
FAO — World Pulses Day (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated Authoritative Page
Food and Agriculture Organization — inaugural World Pulses Day celebration (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Pulses Day background (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Pulses Day?
10 February The stored recurrence guidance is: 10 February.
Does World Pulses Day fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is World Pulses Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: FAO / United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Pulses Day?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Government of Burkina Faso. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Is World Pulses Day international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: FAO / United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-07.
When was World Pulses Day established?
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/73/251 on 20 December 2018 and designated 10 February as World Pulses Day.
Who proposed World Pulses Day?
United Nations and FAO sources identify Burkina Faso as the country that proposed the annual observance, building on the International Year of Pulses 2016.
Who facilitates World Pulses Day?
FAO states that it works with governments, the private sector, members, partner organizations, the public and youth to facilitate the observance.
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