IGFRI Consultancy Offers ...

With more than 30 years of forage research and development behind it, IGFRI today stands as the premier research and development institution in South Asia for sustainable agriculture through quality forages production for improved livestock productivity.

IGFRI is the national Institute of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, mandated to conduct basic, strategic, applied and adaptive research; development and training in forage production and utilization. The Institute has highly experienced and internationally trained human resources engaged in agro-ecosystem research via need-led, participatory, inter-disciplinary and institutional approaches.

It has three Regional stations to cater to forage related research and development needs of Humid tropics (at Dharwad), Semi-arid and arid (at Avikanagar) and Temperate (at Srinagar/Palampur) ecosystems. It is linked with 31 Centres of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Forage Crops located in different agro-ecological zones in the country.

The Institute has been offering consultancies in various areas to diverse clientele group ranging from small farmers to large farmers, commercial distilleries to cooperative milk federations, NGOs, GOs, Rural Banks, watershed development projects, internationally funded development programmes for poverty alleviation and mining industry among others.

For commercial dairies and dairy co-operatives, we have our expertise to offer in

• Establishment of dairy farms with scientific housing and the assessment of economic viability of dairy enterprises at different scales
• Intensive fodder production to ensure year round green fodder availability, saving on costs of commercial concentrates and purchased feeds. Designing a balanced feeding regime with grass and legume mixture will ensure an improvement in the quality and quantity of milk production

For the government and non-government agencies involved in watershed development and renovation of degraded lands, Joint Forest Management we undertake

• Survey and mapping of vegetation and have advise to offer on
• vegetating these sites through grass, tree and legume combinations for improved soil fertility and moisture retention, recycling nutrients and reduction of siltation
• Utilization of farm bunds for fodder production and their stabilization
• Establishment and management of pasture and silvipastoral systems
• Grazing management practices
• Alternative land use systems
• Analysis of existing land uses
• Development oriented planning of alternate land uses like agroforestry, silvopasture, hortipasture, etc., live fencing, energy plantation etc.

India has 188 m ha wasteland out of a total area of 329 m ha. IGFRI has developed technology that can be implemented on a commercial scale on saline, alkali, waterlogged, ravinous, eroded soils and those degraded by mining. We offer

• Forage based technology for utilization and improvement of problem soils
• Soil and water test based fertilizer application service
• Recommendations on fertilizer nutrient dose based on soil and water values for correcting nutrient deficiency
• Testing soil and water samples
• Soil test based crop-planning advice
• Integrated nutrient management
• Agrometeorology data consultancy :

v Supply of data on weather parameters

v Interpretation of meteorological data for crop planning

For the farmers in dryland areas, we can offer advise on

v Profitable production of Stylosanthes seeds to meet the increased demand watershed and wasteland development programmes and, utilization of marginal lands

v Stylosanthes cultivation on farms for saving Nitrogenous fertilizer, and for use as green manure and a mulch crop

v Selection of farm machinery for forage production

For Agroforestry or orchard plantations we can advice on the

Ø Use of grasses and legumes under different tree based farming systems for effective control of weeds

For farmers engaged in livestock production and organised farms, we can provide guidance in

Ø Improvement of low grade roughages and their processing

Ø Silage/hay making

Ø Complete feed block formulation

Ø Utilization of distillery waste for forage production

Ø Mineral nutrition of forage based rations

Ø Stylo meal from leaf portions for poultry

Ø Economics of goat/sheep rearing practices

Ø Utilization of shrubs/trees and other non-conventional forages for livestock

For feed companies, firms engaged in commercial livestock production and livestock development departments, we can undertake

Ø Feed/Forage (sample analysis)

And advise on

q Nutritional toxicants

q Feed pelleting technology including products, processes and machines

For individuals and agencies engaged in forage seed production (cultivated fodder, range grasses and legumes), we can provide guidance on

q Site-specific package of practices, both under large and small farm holder conditions

q Seed production technology in problematic soils

q Application of growth hormones/retardants in seed production

q Forage seed testing and quality control including pasture species

q Mass production and utilization of natural enemies and bioagents and Bee keeping for crop pollination

q Protection of grains/seeds in storage (insects, diseases and rodents)

q Seed harvesting and processing of range grasses and legumes

With the increasing emphasis on and need for developing low-input sustainable agricultural production systems, we have developed Bio-fertilizer technology. We offer counsel on

v Isolation, identification of efficient strains of Rhizobium, Azotobacter and phosphate solubilizers for forage crops (cultivated pasture legumes and grasses including shrub cum tree legumes)

v Preparation, quality assessment and application procedures for biofertilizer. Establishment of soil microbiology laboratory specially in the area of biological nitrogen fixation studies.

Understanding that the social and economic dimensions form the determining factors for adoption of technology, we offer consultancy services in the areas of

v Production, utilization and marketing of forages

v Participatory technology development and PRA methodology,

v Economic evaluation of technologies, Feasibility and socio-economic impact analysis of agricultural projects

v Project development using logical frameworks for development by incorporating gender and poverty concerns

v Research evaluation and prioritization

For further details, please contact

The Director

Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute,

Gwalior Road, Jhansi- 284 003

Tel : 0517 - 2730666

Fax : 0517 - 2730833

e-mail : igfri@igfri.up.nic.in