From Land to Technology: Innovative Practices in a Smart Agriculture Demonstration Sites — The Case of Formosa Goose Co., Ltd.
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From Land to Technology: Innovative Practices in a Smart Agriculture Demonstration Sites — The Case of Formosa Goose Co., Ltd.

TSAI,PI-CHENG（China Productivity Center Agricultural Innovation Department I）

1. The Background and Importance of Smart Agriculture in Taiwan

Faced with the impacts of global climate change and shifting population demographics, Taiwan’s agriculture sector is confronting unprecedented challenges, including an aging rural population, shrinking farmland, and extreme weather events. The traditional agricultural management model has become increasingly unsustainable, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive transformation. To actively respond to these pressing issues, the Ministry of Agriculture has carefully planned and vigorously promoted a smart agriculture transformation strategy. In 2017, it launched the Smart Agriculture 4.0 program, and in 2021, it introduced the New Agriculture Innovation Promotion Program 2.0. Through a series of innovative initiatives, these efforts aim to reshape the competitiveness and resilience of Taiwan’s agricultural sector. These programs focus primarily on expanding demonstration site applications, deepening digital services, driving industrial innovation, and enhancing the site capabilities. Specific strategies include establishing intelligent production facilities, developing digital agricultural platforms, and promoting new types of agricultural insurance. The ultimate goal is to gradually build a comprehensive smart agriculture ecosystem.

2. Overview of Smart Agriculture Demonstration Sites

Smart agriculture demonstration sites are innovative bases that integrate modern technologies with agricultural production—akin to agricultural laboratories spread throughout Taiwan. These sites exemplify the seamless fusion of traditional farming practices with cutting-edge technologies. From basic environmental sensing and automated equipment to advanced applications of artificial intelligence, these facilities showcase the real-world operation of smart farming solutions. In terms of operational models, these demonstration sites adopt a collaborative approach that brings together industry, government, academia, and research institutions. This partnership combines the technological expertise of the private sector, the resources of government, and the research capabilities of academic institutions to jointly develop innovative agricultural production models. These models are tailored to local characteristics to create localized smart agriculture solutions.

Currently, smart agriculture demonstration sites can be broadly categorized into the following two types:

  • Agriculture, Food and Horticulture (Open-Field and Facility-Based) Industries

This category includes demonstration sites for orchards, rice paddies, and similar agricultural operations. These sites commonly employ sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and early warning systems to achieve precise environmental control and real-time monitoring of multidimensional data, including soil, crops, and climate. Sensors act like the "nervous system" of crops, accurately detecting environmental changes such as soil moisture, nutrient levels, and microclimate conditions. This enables farmers to make optimal decisions based on accurate, data-driven insights. The early warning systems cover a range of alerts, including pest and disease warnings, meteorological disaster alerts, soil health monitoring, crop physiological anomaly detection, and optimal harvest time estimation. These tools help protect crop safety, enhance production efficiency, and ensure stable agricultural output.

  • Poultry Farming and Aquaculture

Smart farming facilities for poultry farming and aquaculture incorporate technologies such as precision feeding, environmental monitoring, automated identification, and traceability systems. These innovations reduce labor and time costs while enhancing production efficiency. Precision feeding systems can deliver feed tailored to each animal’s growth stage and health condition. Water quality monitoring systems continuously detect key parameters such as dissolved oxygen, pH levels, temperature, and mineral content—data that may seem mundane but are vital to the survival of aquatic organisms. Traceability systems allow consumers to scan QR codes to access the production history of meat or aquatic products, including information such as breed, birth date, living conditions, and medication records.

These demonstration sites play a crucial role in validating new technologies. They also serve as vital hubs for farmers to acquire new knowledge and gain practical experience, laying a solid foundation for the digital transformation of Taiwan’s agriculture.

  • A Successful Case – Formosa Goose Co., Ltd.

Formosa Goose Co., Ltd., located in Sihu Township, Yunlin County, is dedicated to goose farming. Centered around enclosed poultry houses, the company integrates technologies such as elevated automatic washing systems and image-based health monitoring and alert systems. These innovations reduce human entry into poultry houses, lowering the risk of avian influenza brought by wild birds, and address common issues such as feather pecking and weak legs in geese. In addition, Formosa Goose has launched a pioneering “Closed Poultry House Farming Technology Partnership Program.” By collaborating with elderly farmers, the company revitalizes idle poultry facilities or land in Yunlin. Formosa Goose provides professional technical guidance on goose farming and assists young farmers in acquiring farming facilities and expertise through various means, including leasing, joint development, or direct purchase. Moreover, they commission solar energy companies to install solar panels on the roofs of the poultry houses, using the electricity revenue to support the goose farming operation. This approach not only creates a stable source of income for elderly farmers but also offers young farmers new opportunities to return to the countryside for their agricultural career. This innovative model successfully has overcome financial barriers related to poultry house renovation and opened a new path toward sustainable agricultural development.

Beyond technological innovation, Formosa Goose also demonstrates a unique strategy in brand marketing. They started their own brand, “Goose Shop”, and established a modern processing plant in Taipei. This transformed the traditional sales model of the goose farming industry. Through a thoughtfully designed online marketing platform, they deliver high-quality, safe, and hygienic goose meat products directly to consumers, significantly enhancing brand visibility.

Currently, with the support through various projects of the Ministry of Agriculture and guidance from Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Formosa Goose has successfully established two demonstration sites and is actively planning for further expansion. Their goal is to drive a comprehensive transformation and upgrade of Taiwan’s goose farming industry, injecting the agricultural sector with unprecedented innovation and vitality.

4. Conclusion

Smart agriculture demonstration sites are now key platforms for driving the digital transformation of agriculture. Through close collaboration among industry, government, academia, and research institutions, smart farming technologies have been successfully integrated into practical agricultural production. These sites also serve as critical hubs for technology certification, innovation, and knowledge dissemination, injecting technological vitality into traditional farming practices.

From agriculture, food and horticulture to poultry farming and aquaculture, each type of demonstration site showcases customized technological applications. By leveraging sensors, IoT, automation, and artificial intelligence, these sites enable precise control over production environments, significantly improving both efficiency and product quality. The case of Formosa Goose stands out as a prime example. Through its use of enclosed smart poultry houses combined with solar energy, the company not only overcomes technical challenges associated with traditional farming but also pioneers a new model for sustainable agricultural development.