Volume 121, Issue 1, September 2014, Pages 146–156
Special Issue: Industrial and Rural Activities in the Goat Sector including Science, Innovation and Development
Abstract
Goat
 livestock is generally considered as an efficient activity for 
smallholders to eradicate poverty in many situations. More and more 
projects are submitted for donors who have still few references and data
 to evaluate if these proposals could be successful or not.
A
 study has been initiated to scale up successful practices. It has been 
based on Knowledge Harvesting and comparative analysis of several 
projects around the world. Discussions and focus groups were organized 
as parts of a seminar during the 11th International Conference on Goats.
 The general characteristics of goat activities and for each commodity 
and key success factors have been identified and described. Proposals 
were elaborated and debated to go forward and propose operational tools 
to support project donors and designers. A project and investment 
typology will be built and a goat value chain tool kit will be developed
 during a write shop. The discussions have enhanced the importance of a 
cost-benefits analysis and planning return on investments within the 
project.
Keywords
- Development;
- Millennium Development Goals;
- Monitoring;
- Goat development;
- Poor economics
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

