Characteristics of Sustainable Smallholder Dairy Farming Systems Based on Environmental Pillar Assessment Using a Typological Approach

Abstract

This study aims to describe the characteristics of sustainable smallholder dairy farming systems from an environmental perspective using a typological approach. The research was conducted at KUNAK (under KPS Bogor cooperative) and KUD Giri Tani cooperative in Bogor Regency, West Java Province, using primary and secondary data collected between November 2024 and March 2025. A total of 100 farmers were selected as respondents through simple random sampling. Sustainability indicators were developed using the MESMIS framework and assessed on a 0–100 scale. Statistical analysis was performed using principal component analysis, cluster observations, simple correspondence analysis, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The results identified four main components of sustainability: livestock assets, waste management, feed carrying capacity, and sanitation and diversification. Based on the resulting typology, 35% of the farms were classified as more ecologically sustainable. The smallholder dairy farming systems in Bogor Regency that are considered the most ecologically sustainable are those with the following characteristics: (1) they have substantial assets, making them less vulnerable to bankruptcy; (2) livestock waste is processed into manure, even if only in small amounts, and biogas systems are available, even if simple; (3) forage, which constitutes the main feed, is readily available; (4) barn sanitation and milking equipment are adequate, with total plate counts of microbiological contamination not exceeding 1×10⁶ colonies/g, even when diversifying into post-harvest activities. These findings provide a basis for more specific policies and technologies tailored to each farm type according to its ecological characteristics.