Smallholder identified constraints to adoption of new forage options in South Central Coast Vietnam

Adoption of new farming practices by smallholders is a complex process and service providers need to understand reasons for adoption and non-adoption to ensure that extension efforts can be targeted for maximum impact. This paper presents the adoption patterns of the tree legume Leucaena leucocephala cv. Taramba by 41 smallholder farmers in South Central Coastal Vietnam, where it was introduced in 2010-11 as an option to improve cattle nutrition. Smallholder farmers were interviewed in 2015 about their experiences with the establishment, management and use of Taramba Leucaena and how these experiences influenced their subsequent adoption decisions. Lack of labour and knowledge to manage seedlings, natural causes, perceived low feed provision and lack of land to manage mature stands were the main reasons for non-adoption. Successful adopters protected their seedlings from grazing and weed competition, carried out good cutting management, and were able to establish larger stands of mature trees. Future extension efforts should focus on how the long term introduction of Taramba Leucaena interacts with land, labour, and competing farm activities, in order to achieve more integrated and sustainable smallholder adoption outcomes.