The living income (LI) concept continues to garner the attention of many development agencies, civil society organizations, companies and governments seeking effective strategies to improve the standard of living for smallholder farmers supplying global commodity agrifood value chains. This report is a rapid review of the living income concept, its application, methodology, tools, successes and challenges. A mixed methodology was applied with the combination of desk review of literature and key informant interviews. Five programmes from select companies and agencies implementing LI projects were reviewed to gain a better understanding of the application of the approach. The programmes and their strategies to close the living income gap were examined against four success factors; bundling interventions, tailoring programmes to farmers’ needs and contexts, developing tighter connections across the supply chain and partner for change.