This paper analyses the impact of commercial cardamom farming on the livelihoods of
women, revisiting the concept of the “feminization of poverty”. For the analysis of cash crop
farming in Eastern Nepal, both quantitative and qualitative approaches have been used. A
quantitative survey was conducted in 513 households in Ilam district between November and
December 2015 followed by qualitative data collection. A literature review on the feminization of
poverty and cash crop farming has also been included. A descriptive data analysis has been
conducted from the perspective of the feminization of poverty against the background of cash crop
farming. The paper concludes that women of different ethnic backgrounds engaged in commercial
cardamom farming have been able to improve their livelihoods, spend on their children’s
education, their family’s health and invest in savings. For marginalized communities the impact is
even more pronounced, as women have been able to step out of poverty. The high return from
cardamom farming has changed the livelihood trajectories of these women. Engagement in cash
crop farming has empowered women financially and socially through their visible participation in
savings and community groups. This study also opens up pathways for further studies on issues of
sustainable cardamom farming and its impact on women’s livelihoods, particularly focusing on
women and poverty.