ICARDA’s mission is to alleviate poverty by improving the livelihoods of farming communities. Often, the key is to add value to primary crop and livestock outputs. This issue of Caravan provides glimpses of the Center’s work to help farmers and pastoralists add value to their products, and thereby improve their incomes and livelihoods. Articles in this issue describe how value-addition options were identified for herbal and medicinal plants in a remote valley in Morocco; how cactus species – that combine hardiness with high market value – are being promoted in North Africa; and how value addition is helping to conserve biodiversity in Jordan. In Afghanistan, ICARDA and its partners are helping to promote value addition in mint and saffron. ‘Protected agriculture’ options are being promoted in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere, enabling small-scale farmers to grow high-value fruits and vegetables. In West Asia the Center and its partners are developing improved crossbred sheep with higher meat and milk productivity. Studies in Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela have catalyzed major changes in livestock management at community level, improving incomes as well as rangeland health.