Speaking at the inauguration of the Pulses Conclave 2014, Bacon compared India's dietary patterns from 1988 to 2008. Quoting food policy research institute figures, Bacon said, "India's consumption of pulses has gone down by over 30% when compared to 20 years ago; but the consumption of oil has gone up by around 60%, as has the consumption of fish, milk and eggs. The changing diet when combined with sedentary lifestyle is a double whammy, especially at a time when more women in India are taking up full-time jobs, meaning less time and thought is going into preparing food," he said. "WHO projects that by 2030, non-communicable ailments like cardio vascular diseases, diabetes and hypertension in India will grow by 95%," he added. He stated that the nutrition derived from pulses, in the form of proteins, fibre, vitamins, minerals and complex carbohydrates could help control blood sugar, achieve weight-loss and enhance cardio-vascular health.

Former Union minister Suresh Prabhu, who delivered the keynote address at the conclave spoke about the impact of climate change on the agricultural industry.

He also stated that India faced a huge production challenge, wherein our agriculture yield is much less than the global standard of 1 tonne per hectare, and as a result, India is also the largest importer of pulses and oil seeds.

Prabhu stated that vegetarianism was not only a better way of life for health reasons, but also for the health of the environment.

"In India, we believe that two-thirds of the people are vegetarian, but some of them are only part-time vegetarians. It is always better to source dietary protein from pulses and lentils, rather than from meat," he said, stating that rearing of animals for their meat used up precious resources like water, leaving less for cultivation. "India has only 4% of the world's water, of which 85% is used for agriculture. By rearing animals for consumption, we not only have to give them water, but also cultivate food for them," he added.