Abstract: The outstanding economic, social and ecological benefits of non-timber forest products in poverty alleviation in impoverished mountainous areas and growth in farmers' income have been the focus of domestic and foreign scholars in recent years. On the basis of the definition of the concept of "non-timber forest products", through reviewing and sorting out the literature, this paper summarizes the existing research results from the following aspects: the behavioral characteristics of farmers in the production and management of non-timber forest products, the important role of non-timber forest products and the contribution of non-timber forest products to farmers' income growth and rural poverty alleviation. And then the existing improvement space and possible research trends are briefly reviewed and prospected in terms of perspective, content and methods of existing research, aimed at providing reference for further improving the relevant research on "non-timber forest products and rural poverty alleviation".