This paper presents a short methods and results sintesis of the support process for innovation validation among smallholders in the Massaroca district (Juazeiro-BA). There are mainly small goates breed keepers organized through nine comunitary associations to manage a local development project based on extensive cattle breeding. Among the experimented tools and method, farm-scale tests, multilocationnal testing and validation trials have shown the best results. Anyway, a diversificated range of situations was observed. The monitoring of reference farms has brought interesting informations to extensionist and researchers. Anyway, it was stopped after two years because of the quantity of human ressource and working time exigences request by data processing and restitution. In terms of local references adaptation and on job training, the most interesting and practical results were obtained through organization and monitoring of thematic interest groups.