Thanks to their multifunctions; legumes provide the society with diverse agroecosystem services (direct goods and indirect services):

1. Goods for the industry and consumers:
• Food/feed products
• Seed components
• Fibres and biomass
• Biofuels and chemicals

2. Services for the society:
• Saving of fertilizers & fossil energy
• Reducing environmental pollution (CO2, NH3 and N2O emissions) through improved use of local resources
• Diversification of crop systems (regulatory effect on biogeochemical, pest and disease cycles)
• Landscape diversification and biodiversity

Legumes can be used for the production of Feed, Food, Fodder, Fibre and Fuel.

- Biomaterials, biofuel and other non-food uses
As the need for new sources of bioenergy is becoming urgent, this market should be further assessed for legumes, since these crops get an initial key advantage with their high energy efficiency (i.e. high level of energy produced for a low consumption of fossil energy). Legumes can produce biomass with low nitrogen fertilizer-supply in order to improve energy efficiency and they represent an advantageous component of crop systems for regional bio-refinery (biogas, refined extracts). Nitrogen-fixing trees can provide valuable contribution to produce biomass in a sustainable way and to increase the ability of forests to fix larger amounts of CO2.

In addition, the good techno-functional properties of different components of legume seeds offer opportunities for non-food applications: bio-degradable plastics or other biodegradable products, plant or seed extracts for chemistry industry, etc.

- Feed uses
Up to now, animal feed secor is the major and predominant outlet for European grain legumes whose grains are rich in energy and protein.
Legume grains are used either on farm by animal breeders or by feed industry as one of the raw materials to manufacture compound feedstuff for different animals: ruminants or monogastrics. 

- Food uses
Because of the balanced proportion of proteins, starches and fibres and mineral, legume seeds complement cereals in human diets.
In Latin America, in sub-Asian continent and in several African regions, grain legumes are part of the traditional diets usually in combination with a major cereal (maize, rice and wheat or sorgho).
In Europe, the uses of grain legumes in human consumption and food industry are very diverse and relate to local food habits. The export pulse market for food is of significant interest because of added value. However, legume grains are under-used in Europe because of the low investment in both communication on their health benefits (contrary to what is done especially in North America for the products derived from soya bean, the tropical grain legume) and in innovations for modern food products.

- Low input crop and ecological product for agriculture and society
Contributor to a good soil fertility, break crop in rotations, green manure crop, biodiversity maintenance, low input crop, source of economy in fossil energy, maintenance of local production for local uses, etc.: the role of legumes in rotations is multiple and the non-monetary services of legumes should be quantified in the modern agriculture.Legume crops are also
The growing public interest in organic farming has also further created a new marked segment where legumes are well appreciated.