Centre for Advanced Research & Development believes in Community-based Natural Resource Management approach to reduce rural poverty. The sustainability of this approach largely depends on the empowerment of the communities for not only sharing the costs and benefits at all levels, but also by demanding their entitlements. On the other side a paradigm shift is required in the development approach. This can only be achieved by brining in attitudinal change, disseminating knowledge and by imbibing participatory skills amongst various development stakeholders. The Centre has developed expertise in training and capacity building of all stakeholders (government and non-government) involved in rural development; concurrent and impact evaluation of various rural development programmes for regular and systematic feedback. We have given a new dimension to regular monitoring process (monitoring of centrally sponsored rural development schemes) by adopting participatory monitoring system rather than policing. A new initiative is facilitation in state level policy formulation for the Chhattisgarh Animal Husbandry Department for preparing a pro poor and sustainable livestock policy and a long-term action plan. The Centre has a strong grassroots presence in three distinct regions of Central India, namely; Gond predominant eastern tribal region (MP & CG), agriculturally rich Feudal Malwa region and Bhil predominant western tribal region. These are the fields of experimentation for future strategy formulation and learning lessons for designing improved strategies and policies. Participation being its core value, CARD acts as a facilitator rather then an implementer of development process.