Perennial fodder grasses as intercrop in Areca and Coconut gardens

The present study was undertaken to encourage the farmers to cultivate fodder grasses as an intercrop in the areca and coconut gardens. A live demonstration of fodder crops was under taken in 12 villages of Bhadravathi taluk, Shimoga district, Karnataka, to educate the farmers in cultivating perennial fodder grasses in their areca and coconut gardens as inter crops.100 farmers were selected randomly from the 12 villages for demonstration of intercropping of fodder grass. Amongst these 58% of the farmers could achieve success by transplanting the fodder grass seedlings to areca & coconut gardens as intercrop. In 6 villages the success rate was to the tune of 60-80%, 4 villages were in the range of 40-60% and the remaining 2 villages showed less than 40% success. The success of the program depended on the necessity for fodder crops or the association of the farmers with Dairy co-operative societies