A study was undertaken in Dhenkanal district of Orissa to analyze the livelihood pattern of tribal farm women in rice-based farming system and identify different income generating opportunities. The study highlights the extent of tribal women’s empowerment through various income generating activities in rice-based farming system. The livelihood pattern of tribal farm women of Dhenkanal district was mainly from rice cultivation, horticultural and animal husbandry activities. The data relating to major income generating activities revealed that most of the respondents had taken up ‘integration of other crops viz., oilseeds, pulses and vegetables with rice’ which ranked first. The overall gain in empowerment of tribal farm women through income generating activities was 25.6 per cent. The study further revealed that income generating activities contributed significantly for enhancement in empowerment. Illiteracy was perceived as the top most constraint by 94.17 per cent respondents in empowerment through income generating activities in rice-based farming system.