Homegrown forages: Ethiopia’s newly released Panicum grasses

Two panicum grass varieties Chano (Panicum maximum Jack) and Gardula (Dichanthelium latifolium) have been released for cultivation in Southern and Central Ethiopia. Chano and Gardula are local landraces, selected from farmer-maintained populations and assessed by Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center in collaboration with the International Canter for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA). These indigenous grasses were approved for Release by the Ethiopian Variety Release Standing Committee in May 2025