What is Agrotourism?
The FAO defines agrotourism as
“Agrotourism refers to people visiting working farms or other agricultural operations for enjoyment, education, or other active involvement. Agrotourism encompasses a wide variety of activities and provides a means for farmers to diversify and supplement their income.’’
In simple words, bringing tourists to a farm.
The worldwide Agrotourism industry was estimated to be worth $42.46 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow to $62.98 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of 13.4%. This indicates the potential with which it’s flourishing in the present as well as the future.
While the international figures seem to show a very enticing picture, Agrotourism in India is a new concept and to reach its full capability, a lot of emphasis must be laid on what opportunities are available and how farmers can earn an income from it with the aid of agribusiness managers.
Facts about tourism in India
The travel and tourism sector in India contributed around $178 billion to the country’s GDP in 2021. In 2017, more than 10 million international visitors came to India, bringing in close to $27.31 billion in foreign cash.
In the fiscal year 2020, the travel and tourism industry in India employed close to 80 million people. Nearly 15.3 per cent of employees were in the sector overall. About 9.1 % of the GDP was generated by tourism. So, the relevance of how tourism is essential for the growth of nation can be inferred from the data mentioned. The tourism sector is one of the major foreign exchange earners for the country.
Within the tourism sector, there is a special, new developing market; Agrotourism.
Scope and Opportunities Available
Agricultural tourism has become an essential means of livelihood for many small farms. Farm operators can secure a steadier income by diversifying their businesses. This is because agritourism activities can take place at times of the year when crops are not in season, and they provide a completely separate source of income. According to several research, agritourism operations often benefit their surrounding communities by attracting tourists. The economic boost provided by increased traffic might be useful to rural regions in need of diverse income streams.
Pandurag Taware (The Father of Agrotourism in India), an engineer-turned agriprenuer from Maharashtra was the first person in India to introduce the concept of Agri tourism. He is the founder of Agri-Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) in 2005 at Pune (Maharashtra) and has helped more than 600 farmers to date by boosting their income, thereby a considerable contribution to the development of the state.
This has set an example of how we can grab the opportunity and spread the concept across different parts of the country and making the whole country a hub of agrotourism because of its scope and the potential to grow.
- Due to its affordability, the notion of Agrotourism introduces travel and tourism to a greater audience, expanding its reach.
- The focus of agritourism is on farmers, small towns, and agriculture, which might pique the interest of the metropolitan people.
- Life has become more stressful due to modern living, lifespans have decreased, and individuals are always looking for natural ways to improve their quality of life.
- It is an escape from the occupied urban areas into the laps of nature.
Conclusion
Agriculture and related activities employ 85% of India’s population, either directly or indirectly. Agriculture also accounts for 26% of India’s GDP. Maharashtra and Kerala are two Indian states those are capitalising on the promise of Agrotourism. The Agrotourism Development Corporation promotes Agrotourism in Maharashtra. Kerala government’s ‘Green Farm’ project aims to promote Agrotourism in the agricultural areas of Kuttanad, Wayanad, Palakkad, and Idukkistate. In addition Nagaland and Sikkim are successful agrotourism states.
With more initiatives by the government and the active participation of local entrepreneurs and farmers, agrotourism can be seen as a new future in the tourism sector of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The tourism sector is one of the major foreign exchange earners for the country and will eventually contribute to the overall development and name of the country across the globe.
