The Commercial Agriculture Development Project was implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in 11 districts with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank, Manila. DEPROSC-Nepal was assigned to implement one component, which was often called ‘Japanese Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR)’, in the four districts. The project aimed to bring the underprivileged communities (both landless and poor farmers) of the project area into the development process, or help them tap opportunities created by the ongoing CADP project. The project supported meeting objectives to (i) improve the livelihoods of the rural poor in the agriculture sector and (ii) increase their participation in the development process in the Eastern Development Region of Nepal. The project reached 12,000 very poor households (HHs) to increase their incomes and to enhance skills for effective participation in development efforts through 600 self-help groups. The project cultivated their leadership skills, and helped increase their confidence and self-esteem, and also improved the adult literacy rate. We facilitated 50% of the target groups to help them access the ‘Income generation fund’ and ‘commercial agricultural fund’ managed by the Commercial Agriculture Development Project. In addition, skills of service providers developed for social mobilization and income generation through commercial agriculture and marketing, effective monitoring and reporting and financial management and beneficiary evaluation techniques.