भा.कृ.अनु.प.- भारतीय चरागाह एवं चारा अनुसंधान संस्थान, झाँसी

The All India Coordinated Research Project on Forage Crops & Utilization (AICRP-FC&U), established in 1970, is a multi-disciplinary and multi-location scheme envisaged for improvement in forages — arable, rainfed and irrigated forage crops, range grasses and legumes — and for generation of appropriate technologies to boost forage production in diverse agro-ecological regions of the country. Research is conducted through 22 coordinated centres and 17 cooperating testing locations spread across India.

• To coordinate multi-location testing programmes at the national level in order to identify appropriate varieties and production technologies for different agro-ecological conditions.
• To coordinate and monitor research on problems of national and regional importance related to forage crops.
• To conduct strategic and applied research for boosting production and productivity of forages (arable, rainfed and irrigated forage crops, range grasses and legumes).
• To function as a major service centre for exchange of scientific information and research materials related to forages.

• Germplasm and breeding programme
• Natural resource management
• Survey and protection technologies
• Quality evaluation and testing programme
• Breeder seed production
• Dissemination of technology including Forage Technology Demonstrations (FTDs)
• National breeding and quality improvement programmes

• Exploration, collection and creation of variability through pre-breeding activities to broaden the genetic base in forage species.
• Development of varieties of key forage crops and species having potential for multi-cut and dual-purpose types with acceptable quality.
• Development of appropriate forage production and protection technologies in system perspective for different zones.
• Forage crop popularization and field demonstrations in different agro-climatic regions.
• Providing back-up for quality forage seed availability through production of nucleus and breeder seed.

Location of AICRP-FC&U Coordinating Centres