Indeed, it is portable, economical, and it can replicate itself if necessary. With soaking, the bean can be easily worked into a paste or eaten raw if necessary. As a sprouted product - the humble bean becomes a live vegetable providing many times its own volume and nutritional value. A nearly complete food capable of replicating itself many times over when planted in soil, again with very minimal energy requirements i.e. beans fix nitrogen back to the soil instead of depleting it and have only minimal requirements of their own for fertility. The leaves of the bean plant can also be eaten as part of the crop while you are waiting for the beans to mature and return to the dry state.
Harvesting is simple.
The sprouting process can be carried out year round with very minimal requirements. Likewise, sprouted beans can easily be incorporated into your modern daily diet with measurable health benefits. The Chinese have long valued the sprouted bean as a mainstay food. Note that I am advocating sprouted beans - not just bean sprouts, as the sprouted beans represent a much superior food product than just eating the sprouts. Interestingly, sprouted beans contain all the enzymes necessary for proper digestion as a more complete food.