Farming and agri-food systems have to face urgent social and environmental issues linked between them within the Millennium Development Goals firmed by the International Community. Poverty reduction and food safety is considered as a major challenge as at least 800 million people are suffering hunger and extreme poverty particularly in rural areas. The development of livestock for small holders is often seen as a solution to reduce poverty To explore and document the operational articulation between poverty reduction and preservation of environment and utilization of renewable resources in livestock production systems the results of a comparative study undertaken at the request of an International Organization are analyzed. This study was focused on development projects involving goats and compared significant cases worldwide (Argentine Patagonia, East Africa, South Western Morocco, “Comarca Lagunera” Mexico, Nepal, North Eastern Brazil, Rajasthan, Senegal, Tajikistan, Lara andFalcon State Venezuela). For each case, a SWOT analysis, a cost benefits study and a goat value chain approach have been undertaken and discussed during several meetings with actors involved in these projects. The study has provided operational references and tools and indicators have been built to support implementing and monitoring such projects in the future. It highlights that developing goats by small holders can be a viable and profitable activity in so far as consultations and appropriate diagnosis have been undertaken to prepare the projects. It confirms that small holders with low inputs goat production systems may have a good real productivity and a high Internal Rate on Return (IRR) of the investments. It helped to show the different stake holders including those involved in political decisions that traditional low input goat activities, led by small farmers can help to keep rural life active and support other activities. These results call for a paradigm shift in the mental models of development to promote human resources and capacities rather than sophisticated external solutions often based on the use of non renewable resources/. Goats can often answer such MDG’s as poverty reduction, gender equity, preservation of non renewable resources if their production systems are based on the valorization of local resources with low external inputs (by products, local forage, rangelands).Thanks to appropriate business planning and governance, innovation implemented for these activities could be a good lever for ecological intensification, food safety and resilience in many rural areas by improving the potentialities of each region.