There is an apparent dilemma in the non-plantation agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. An estimated five million people in the sector live below the poverty line, despite heavy investments and large and diverse projects in agricultural development and poverty alleviation. This study was commissioned to probe into the existing literature on questions related to the potential impact of commercializing of non-plantation agriculture on rural poverty in Sri Lanka, to formulate hypotheses on critical issues and to test these through further secondary and primary research. The papers presented in this booklet are discussion papers presented at the 5th Open Forum on Poverty.