**7.2 Access and multiplication of seeds**

Planting material constitutes one of the most critical factors in determining the success of any crop and the same is the case of underutilized grasses. Agronomists would be required to strive for securing the genetic resources for establishing a diversified genetic pool of different underutilized grasses, and thereafter, intensive research might be conducted for screening out high yielding, climate resilient,

stress tolerant and resource efficient genotypes. It will follow mass seed production through well planned and target-oriented seed production programs in order to improve the access of growers to quality seed at an affordable cost. Agronomists and plant breeders are required to work in liaison to run commercially feasible seed production programs.

#### **7.3 Conservation through use**

It must be conceded that resources have always been insufficient and scarce for conserving underutilized crops and grasses at large scale. Thus, this situation and desire for process sustainability requisite integration of conservation and utilization simultaneously and this concept is famously known as conservation through use. However, collecting information pertaining to distribution patterns, utilization preferences, and evaluation of existing traditional and localized knowledge on underutilized grasses is prerequisite as this information can serve as foundation of future research programs for improving access of growers to planting materials.

#### **7.4 Localized agronomy**

Since the cultivation and utilization of most of the underutilized grasses are primarily localized, thus agronomic packages for the cultivation of underutilized grasses must be developed keeping in view locally available farming resources, growers' technical know-how level, farm mechanization status, community needs and market scenarios. Local mechanisms that support the deployment of useful diversity will need to be strengthened. There is a dire need to develop integrated chains and networks that cohesively link Agronomists to farmers and end-users of products developed from underutilized grasses. Moreover, Agronomists need to work in liaison with agri-economists for assessing potential revenue generation from the cultivation of underutilized grasses and product development.

#### **7.5 Future agronomic strives needed**

The underutilized grasses have the potential to provide livelihoods to thousands of farmers globally provided access to planting material and quality is ensured along with investing in infrastructure development for product development through creating the market demand of products (food, feed, fuel, fiber, medicinal, spices, aromatic, beverages, esthetic etc.) developed from underutilized grasses. The underutilized grasses are threatened biological assets having the potential to contribute significantly in poverty alleviation strives, while Agronomists hold the key to unlocking this unutilized treasure. Intensive and systematic liaison among Agronomists and policy makers for developing cost-effective production technology package under specified set of agro-environmental condition and soil productivity status through appropriate resource allocation is the need of the time. Agronomists by developing biologically viable farming approaches can convert underutilized grasses into high value commodities for meeting community's real needs. Agronomists need to develop criteria regarding (a) the minimum technical know-how of growers required for successful cultivation of underutilized grass species, (b) compiling information that is easy to understand and repeat in different regions of the world for seed multiplication methods and real-time assessment of grasses regeneration capacity and (c) fundamental knowledge compilation on different types of insect-pests, diseases, and site-specific cultivation related hindrances. In addition, fundamental changes are needed in reporting the agricultural statistics at regional, national as well as international levels. It might be suggested

that agricultural statistics year book that is compiled and published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) must be broadened in scope by adding underutilized crops and grasses. Besides compilation, wider and easy access to this information must be made available to researchers, extension workers, industry and other stakeholders. At local and regional levels, site-specific studies to optimize production technology package of underutilized crops must be supported for ensuring their publication in order to make results available to wider audience.
