ABSTRACT The study was conducted with the general objective of identifying the contribution, constraints and opportunities on production and utilization of improved forages in Dera District, South Gondar Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. A total of 140 households (HHs) were employed, of which 10 HHs in each of the fourteen rural kebeles proportional from three altitudes (high, mid and low land) purposely randomly selected. The qualitative data were collected using semi- structured questionnaire and focus group discussion. The dry matter (DM) yield of improved forages was estimated using quadrant and conversion factor. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA and least significance difference were carried out using SPSS version 16. Total feed supply on DM base, was found to be 1120.1 tones; among this 38.1 tones DM from improved forage. However, the total dry matter requirement of the district was calculated to be 1573.2 tons. This showed that the district has a feed deficit of 453.1 tones (28.8 %), which implies that animals could not satisfy even their maintenance DM requirement in all the three agroecology. Sesbania (Sesbania sesban), Rohdes grass (Chloris gayana), Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), Tree lucerne (Chamaecytisus palmensis), Cow pea (Vigna unguicula), Desho grass (Pennisetum pendicellatum) and Vetch (Vicia dasycarp) were commonly cultivated forage species were developed mainly with the purpose of feed (31.5 %), soil and water conservation (23 %), forage seed production 21%, hedge fence 12%, honey bee flora 5.5% and others 4.2% respectively. The amount of land covered by different improved forage strategies as per household was 0.02 ± 0.01. In the study area improved forage was produced both irrigated xii in dry season and none irrigated in wet season. Free grazing 21.4 %, skill gap 20.3 %, land shortage 19.9 %, input shortage (seed/seedling) 19.7 % and poor extension service 18.7 % of the households were limiting factors for the production and utilization of improved forages. The increasing demands of animal products, presence of soil and water conservation structures, decreasing of free grazing in the district and the need to intensify and improved forages can be important intervention to the limited quantity and quality of feeds because of having limited access of other feed resources like agroindustry by products and concentrate feeds in and around the study area. Moreover, forage seed/seedling production at farmers’ level/farmers cooperatives, community-based implementation of free grazing policy and research and extension can be development interventions for the technology in the study area. Keywords: constraints, feed resources, improved forage crops, opportunities, agroecology