MEDAN–HUMAS USU: Halaban Village, located in Besitang District, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra, has very significant natural resource potential, particularly in the agricultural and livestock sectors. The village’s relatively large and fertile land area, along with supportive climatic conditions, serves as a key asset for the community in developing agribusiness-based enterprises.

One of the most prominent potentials lies in livestock farming, due to the availability of grazing land, agricultural waste that can be used as animal feed, and the experience of the local community, most of whom are accustomed to raising livestock, albeit on a small scale. Nevertheless, the socio-economic conditions of the Halaban Village community remain relatively weak. The majority of residents work as farm laborers or livestock workers with low and unstable income levels. The community’s mindset is still largely oriented toward wage-based work rather than developing independent enterprises. This situation has resulted in low economic self-reliance and slow improvements in overall welfare. Previous livestock programs were not sustainable due to limited capital, weak business management, minimal assistance, and low entrepreneurial motivation.

In response to these conditions, two lecturers from Universitas Sumatera Utara initiated a community service program in the village, offering solutions in the form of community empowerment through the development of independent and sustainable livestock groups. The lecturers are Dr. Abdillah Arif Nst, S.E., M.Si., Ak., from the Faculty of Economics and Business, who served as the program leader, assisted by Aulia Arif Nasution, S.H., M.H., from the Faculty of Vocational Studies as a member. University intervention through community service activities is considered essential as part of the implementation of the tridharma of higher education.

The community service program in Halaban Village, conducted from June to November 2025, aimed to improve the local economy through empowerment-based livestock enterprises. The efforts included empowerment-oriented solutions to enable the community to manage livestock businesses independently and sustainably, such as the establishment of livestock groups, provision of breeding stock and cages, business management and entrepreneurship training, as well as intensive mentoring. The outputs achieved included publications, increased partner capacity, documentation of activities, and the growth of a spirit of mutual cooperation. Thus, the program is expected not only to generate short-term economic impact, but also to build the community’s capacity to manage enterprises sustainably.

According to Dr. Abdillah Arif Nst, based on previous experiences of community members who had attempted to independently start livestock businesses, several factors caused their ventures to fail to sustain. These included limited capital, weak business management, selling prices not based on business analysis, minimal mentoring and knowledge transfer, low entrepreneurial motivation, and further exacerbated by limited market access and distribution networks. Although livestock products have high demand, the community was unable to market their products optimally. Large companies dominate the livestock industry in the area, leaving local residents to function merely as laborers without opportunities to develop their own businesses.

Beyond the economic aspect, the program also generated significant social impact. Through the formation of groups, the community was encouraged to develop values of mutual cooperation, togetherness, and collective commitment in achieving shared goals. These social values align with the principles of Pancasila, particularly in fostering social justice and a spirit of mutual assistance in community life.

Throughout the implementation, various achievements exceeded the initial targets. Livestock groups were successfully established and actively carried out activities, cage construction was completed as planned, and the breeding stock provided developed well. Business management and entrepreneurship training received positive responses from the community, as reflected in the improved ability of partners to record operational costs, determine selling prices, and manage groups collectively.

Overall, the achievements attained were not only evident in physical outcomes, but also reflected in changes in attitudes and mindsets within the community, which began to demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit, the ability to work collaboratively, and increased awareness of managing enterprises in a more professional manner.