The agriculture sector is the largest employer in developing countries of Asia and in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Smallholders, landless and marginal farmers and their families, who comprise the main category of the rural self-employed in the sector, face a large number of economic, demographic, social and technical constraints. Strengthening capacities of this target group to link to modern value chains would offer them the opportunity to increase their agricultural output, improve their incomes and food security and contribute to rural economic growth.