Jhansi: The International Rangeland and Fodder Conference (IRFC-2026) began at ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) here on Wednesday, bringing together more than 250 scientists, researchers, livestock experts and specialists from India and abroad.Organised by Rangeland Management Society of India in collaboration with ICAR, ICAR-IGFRI, RLBCAU, ICAR-CAFRI and TAAS, New Delhi, the conference is being held as part of International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP-2026).ICAR secretary and director general M L Jat was the chief guest at the inaugural session. Among those present were ICAR deputy director general (Crop Science) DK Yadav, RLBCAU vice-chancellor AK Singh, TAAS secretary and former IGFRI director Bhagmal, CAFRI director RS Yadav and CSA Kanpur vice-chancellor Sanjeev Gupta.As per the officials, the deliberations at the conference will be focused on fodder production, grassland and rangeland management, livestock development, sustainable livelihoods and climate change.An MoU was also signed between ICAR-IGFRI and Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru, for conservation and sustainable management of grasslands through scientific research, technology and institutional collaboration.Jat stressed the need to convert scientific discussions into actionable outcomes and highlighted the link between feed and fodder security and nutritional, livestock, human and environmental health.The event also featured RMSI fellowships, gold medals and Young Scientist Awards. The conference will continue with scientific sessions on sustainable grassland-based production systems and pastoral livelihoods.
