Feed is often cited as a major constraint to livestock intensification in developing countries. In addressing this constraint through the breeding of more productive forage varieties, scientists’ starting point is the diversity of forage species held in the world’s plant genebanks.
The forage collection maintained by ILRI, for example, contains germplasm from around 19,000 plant populations representing over 1,400 forage species, including grasses, legumes and fodder trees, many of which are under threat in the wild from land use changes and over-grazing. ILRI’s forage collection is providing scientists with the genetic material to develop climate-smart, high yielding and disease tolerant varieties that will have a key role in Africa’s farming
future.
ILRI Clippings 