As part of the various forms of the biological diversity, large area of the country is covered with great diversity of forage grasses, forage legumes and browses indigenous to the country. These biological resources are the primary sources of animal feed which support about 20% of the Gross Domestic Product of the country, and the potential of the indigenous pasture and forage genetic resources for improvement for the national livestock production is very significant. However, despite the importance, serious genetic erosion is taking place due to both natural and man-made factors. Moreover very limited attention has been given in the past for the exploration, collection and conservation of the resource. No more than 3000 collection from all ecological regions of the country have been collected by sister Institute. These numbers are obviously too small to represent the existing diversity. 

Currently among other newly organized departments under IBCR, a Pasture and Forage Plants Genetic Resource Conservation and Research (PFPGR) department which will foster the exploration and conservation of indigenous Pasture and Forage genetic resources is organized. The Department has at the moment developed a short and long term conservation and research program. It is taking steps to organize the necessary manpower and facilities and also making effort to establish institutional link with various stakeholders with in the country. 

Major objectives the PFPGR programs include:

Collect and document base line information on the distribution and diversity of major forage species across ecological regions and identify of priority pastures and forage species for collection, conservation and utilization.

Establish pasture and forage genetic resource database and networking for efficient utilization of the resource.

Establish ex-situ conservation facilities, in-situ conservation sites, field gene banks and seed regeneration and multiplication sites in different ecological regions.

Organize the department with the necessary trained manpower and facilities.

Establish stronger work relations with research and development organizations and with the farming community to enhance utilization of the resource.

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Last modified: May 10, 2001