Strengthening Goat Productivity and Health through Smart Technology and Digital Management Assistance

Abstract

Goat farming plays a vital role in supporting rural livelihoods and local food security; however, small-scale goat farmers often face challenges related to low productivity, limited disease detection, and weak farm management practices. This community service program aims to strengthen goat productivity and health through the integration of smart technology and digital management assistance. The program adopts a participatory, technology-assisted empowerment approach involving smallholder goat farmers and local institutions. Key interventions include the implementation of IoT-based goat weighing systems, technology-supported health monitoring, and digital farm management tools, accompanied by structured training and continuous mentoring. The program is implemented through five stages: socialization and needs assessment, capacity building, smart technology deployment, digital management assistance, and monitoring and evaluation. The results indicate improvements in the accuracy of livestock monitoring, adoption of data-driven feeding and health management practices, and enhanced farmer capacity to utilize digital tools. In addition, the program contributes to institutional strengthening through collective learning and standardized management practices. Overall, the findings demonstrate that the integration of smart technology with continuous digital management assistance provides a practical and sustainable model for community-based goat farming development and rural economic empowerment.