‘Grasslands key to strengthening India’s carbon credit ecosystem’

Jhansi: Grassland development can play a vital role not only in ensuring fodder security and restoring degraded lands but also in enhancing climate resilience and creating new opportunities through carbon credit generation, said Gyanendra D Tripathi, additional secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and secretary, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), during his visit to ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (ICAR-IGFRI) here on Saturday.During the visit, Tripathi reviewed the institute’s ongoing research and technological advancements in fodder and grassland management, including work on non-conventional fodder resources such as cactus, conservation of national forage germplasm, year-round fodder production systems and grassland restoration initiatives.He emphasised on the growing importance of grasslands in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land management and called for stronger policy support to promote fodder and grassland development across the country.He also underlined the need for effective implementation of a National Rangeland Policy developed by the institute, stating that it would be crucial for the sustainable management of the country’s grazing resources..