Napier Grass

A tall, fast-growing perennial grass (Cenchrus purpureus, also classified as Pennisetum purpureum) native to sub-Saharan Africa, cultivated widely across the tropics as a high-yielding fodder crop for cattle and other livestock, particularly in cut-and-carry systems where the grass is harvested and brought to penned animals rather than grazed directly. Also known as elephant grass, it can grow several meters tall within a single season and is a central forage crop in East African dairy farming systems, where it underpins many smallholder zero-grazing operations. The grass has also drawn interest beyond livestock feed as a potential biomass crop for bioenergy production, given its rapid growth and high fiber yield per unit of land.