as mentioned, cassava and rubber were chosen as the focal areas of study. While there are country-specific reason for the importance of these two products, there are also common reasons for the value of cassava is an important food crop, being a good substitute for rice, the main staple in most GMS countries, and feed for livestock. it has also become a profitable cash crop as the demand for it such industries as bio-fuel, paper and food processing has expanded. cassava is also a major "crisis crop", being a highly adaptable commodity that can easily be resorted to in the event of a food crisis. the attraction of rubber production, on the other hand, has increased immensely over time because of surging demand along the value chain and rising world prices (subject to the effect of the global economic crisis; see box 1). both commodities are central in employment creation and poverty reduction.