*3.1.4 Fodder crops*

Fodder refers to any plants grown specifically as animal feed. They include a variety of pasture grasses like *Panicum maximum*, *Cenchrus ciliaris*, and *Chloris gayana*; pasture legumes such as *Vigna unguiculata*, *Dolichos lablab*, and *Macroptilium atropurpureum*; and fodder trees such as *Leucaena leucocephala*, *Acacia angustissima*, and *Calliandra calothyrsus*. However, most of them do not thrive in semi-arid areas such as the SEL due to high temperatures and low precipitation. Low adoption of fodder crop production is also attributed to lack of extension for farmer training, shortage of labour due to overlapping of the farming calendar with the main crop, high cost and unavailability of seed, and land scarcity. It is therefore important for farmers to maximise production of those species adaptable to their climatic conditions.
