This station is one among the seven Regional Station established during 1973 by the Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying and Fisheries to cater the needs of the farmers in the States/Union Territories of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Andaman & Nicobar Islands in respect of fodder development work.

Vision

Making the Country self- sufficient in Fodder and Feed for animals.

Mission

The Mission of RSFP&D, Chennai is to cut down the time lag between the Research and Development Agencies in the field of Feed and Fodder Development. The Regional station is working as a bridge between the Research Agencies, like, ICAR, State Agricultural/Veterinary Universities and the State Agriculture/Animal Husbandry Departments for Development of fodder activities in the state of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The station is conducting demonstrations in the farmer's field with the help of Departments of Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Forest, Milk Producers Union, KVKs, and NGOs and trying to increase the milk production, thereby increasing the National wealth/health.

Objectives

• Introduction of fodder crops in the existing crop rotation.
• Demonstration of superior practices with regard to fertilizer use, water and soil management in the production of cultivated fodders, study of these practices with regard to new and promising species of fodder crops and grasses.
• Evolution of fodder calendars suitable to the region.
• Demonstration of improved management of village grazing lands and natural grasslands. The study of their proper utilization in combination with a forage crop.
• Demonstration of improved methods of utilization of forage crop.
• Demonstration of different methods of fodder conservation and utilization.
• Demonstration of economics of fodder crops cultivation and animal production.
• Production of high quality foundation seeds of forage crops for further multiplication and distribution.

Seed Production

This station is now the most reliable source for supply of fodder seeds of improved varieties. However, the area under the control of this Station being limited, limited quantities of seeds are produced and are being supplied to State Agencies i.e. Animal Husbandry, Forest, Agriculture, Co-operative milk federation and other private agencies for further multiplication. The seeds produced are also being utilized under the demonstration programme which is a centrally financed project and also in minikit demonstration.

This Station proved instrumental in producing three species of Stylosanthes seed for grassland development. In view of the emphasis laid on the recognition of wastelands in the country, large scale multiplication to the species of the stylo varieties Stylosanthes hamata, Stylosanthes scabra and Stylosanthes guyanensis have been taken to provide basic seed materials. Seed production of improved varieties like, Sorghum (Co.FS.29) and Cowpea (E.C.-4216, UPC- 5286, UPC-9202), Calopogonium have been taken on large scale to meet the demand of the farmers/ Government agencies in this region.

Demonstration

In order to popularize newly developed high yielding varieties, this Station is conducting large scale regular Result Demonstrations through the State Departments of Animal Husbandry, Co-operative milk federation, Department of Forest and NGOs in the Region. The necessary inputs are also supplied by this Station along with improved packages of practices. This Station had conducted number of regular Result Demonstrations in the Region.

Central Minikit Demonstration Programme

The fodder minikit distribution programme of different fodder crops suited to this region are being carried out by way of supplying seeds in kits on free of cost to the farmers to enable them to grow new and improved varieties and assess their performances at their field. Since 1985-86 onwards this Regional Station has supplied tons together of fodder seeds to various States in the Country.

Training Programme

One of the objectives of this Station is to organize short duration training programme in fodder conservation, utilization, grassland management and fodder seed production for the Officials/Officers of the State Departments engaged in fodder development schemes.

Field/Farmers' Day

This Station has adopted integrated approach in extension-work by organizing Field Days in the farmer's field or at this Farm. Through which large number of farmers have been benefited by acquiring the latest agro-technology in fodder production.