With extreme climate variability and drying rangelands, livestock feeding is experiencing severe difficulties in Benin. Therefore, it is urgent to find sustainable solutions. This study aims to understand dairy farmers' perceptions of fodder tree use and their potential for adoption by local dairy farmers as well the nutritional values of these fodders. Data were collected in three arid regions through interviews and focus group discussion, addressing socio-demographic characteristics, farmers' knowledge on fodder tree, and most frequently used fodder tree species. The chemical composition of fodder tree species common to the three studied climate regions was determined using the AOAC (1990) method. It found that fodder tree and shrubs supply practices were varied significantly depending on the ethnic group (p < 0.001). Thus, Bariba, Dendi, and Yoruba ethnic share similar fodder supply practices which clearly differ from those of Peulh farmers. About fodder supply constraints, distance was the main obstacle for more than half of the first ethnics groups, while 65.2% of Peulh considered legislation protecting tree species as the major constraint. The multiple correspondence analysis on both selection criteria of fodder trees and the determinants of adoption allowed us to identify three distinct types of dairy farmers: (1) the choice of fodder tree/shrubs based on the accessibility and palatability of the species and their secondary uses, such as increasing milk production, (2) the choice of species based on their seasonal availability, (3) the choice of species based on their availability at peak of dry season and their secondary uses to treat cattle digestives diseases. Secamone afzelii, Anogeissus leiocarpa, Piliostigma thonningii, Combretum glutinosum, Ficus thonningii Blume, Diospyros mespiliformis, and Annona senegalensis were species common to all the studied dry regions. The results of this study provide clear evidence for extension workers and policymakers in their efforts to promote and integrate fodder trees into ruminants farming for cattle feeding during the dry season.