Deforestation-free
cultivation
Soy and deforestation
Some of the soybeans traded worldwide come from regions where forest areas have been converted for cultivation. In addition to long transportation routes to Europe, this can have an impact on the climate and ecosystems.
Advantages of Fava beans
Unlike imported soy from South America, which is partly associated with forest conversion [Source: e.g., WWF Soy Atlas], Fava beans are grown exclusively on existing German farmland.
ROLAND BEANS – Fava beans from German growing regions as a plant-based alternative to imported soy raw materials.
Soil health and biodiversity
Impact on fertilizer requirements
Fava beans can fix atmospheric nitrogen via symbiotic root nodule bacteria and make it available for plant growth. This can reduce the need for mineral nitrogen fertilization. The nitrogen fixed by the plant is also partly available to the following crop, which can reduce fertilizer requirements in the crop rotation.
Lower nitrogen fertilization can—depending on soil type and precipitation—contribute to reducing nitrate leaching into groundwater (Federal Environment Agency, Nitrate Report 2024)
Ploughless cultivation possible:
Fava beans can be cultivated in various cultivation systems, including ploughless cultivation. Harvest residues from the plant remain on the field and can contribute to humus formation and support the soil structure.
Additional benefits
Lower herbicide requirements:
Mechanical weed suppression: Fava beans suppress weeds through their dense foliage, which in practice can lead to reduced herbicide use.
Flowering plant for insects:
Flowering plant for insects:
The Fava bean plant produces nectar and can thus provide food sources for pollinating insects.
The cultivation of domestic Fava beans can have positive effects on biodiversity and soil properties within suitable crop rotations. Through nitrogen fixation by legumes, the need for mineral nitrogen fertilization can also be reduced
Climate-relevant properties of Fava beans
Less mineral nitrogen fertilization can reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Fava beans can meet part of their nitrogen requirements via symbiotic root nodule bacteria. This can reduce the use of mineral nitrogen fertilizers.
Compared to crop rotations that rely heavily on mineral fertilizers, the use of legumes such as Fava beans can reduce the global warming potential of a crop rotation.
ROLAND BEANS from German growing regions as a plant-based alternative to imported soy raw materials.
Fava beans from German growing regions (transport distance well under 1,000 km) replace imported soy products, which are typically transported over 10,000 km by sea.
Fava beans have a relatively low CO₂ profile compared to many other protein sources.
Our beans ripen under optimal growing conditions in a maritime climate and we are in direct contact with the growers. Further processing in Bremen is also carried out at the highest level.