The diversity of indigenous legumes in Albania is being seriously eroded as a result of the multiplicity of environmental, political and socio-economic factors. This paper discusses the developments related to the identification, collection, evaluation and preservation of indigenous forms of leguminous crops (common beans, chickpea and Lathyrus spp.) that are threatened by extinction in the Central Albania; as well as the traditional knowledge on the production and their use for own consumption of the farmers in villages. The paper also suggests that the sustainable use of plant biodiversity requires community-driven in situ and on-farm initiatives supported through knowledge dissemination, marketing efforts, publicity, and cooperation with research and governmental structures.
