Agriculture Tourism
Today, let us discuss Agriculture Tourism In India and the need for agritourism.
Agricultural tourism is the one that is trending worldwide currently. This makes the urban people get out of their daily routine and go back to their rural roots. It would be a very good market for tourists. There is an aspect of education as it involves interaction with individuals. Individuals will start enjoying the processes and also learning about the various items. Agricultural tourism is becoming an important part of the development of tourism and brings back the people who have completely moved to urban areas and lost contact with agriculture. Tourism in Agriculture is the one that has a set of social and economic activities which occur. Their products, experiences, and services will get linked to travel.
Agricultural tourism is the one which makes people stay close to the functions of the farm so that they can monitor the works and all the activities that take place in the daily business of agriculture.
Agriculture tourism will be the best opportunity to get experience and also get to know about the lifestyle of the farmers and how it is different from the ones who stay away from rural areas. This brings a lot of education to the people as they get to view all these farming functions in beautiful and peaceful locations.
Recreation in farms will include the activities which occur on lands of agriculture, which may also insist the individuals stay awake overnight, and also few activities of education. This particular category of tourism is one of the sections of a large industry called Agri-Tourism.
Agriculture tourism is an enterprise that is set up for a commercial purpose on a functioning farm for the entertainment of the tourists or visitors which would generate an additional income to the owner.
Agriculture tourism is one of the sections of a bigger industry called rural tourism, which will again include resorts, markets of the off-site farmers, agricultural tours which are conducted expecting no profit, business which are made for the leisure and hospitality of the visitors which come from the countryside.
There are two differences between rural tourism and agricultural tourism.
- The enterprises of rural tourism will not place on the farm or agricultural plant necessarily.
- Rural tourism will not provide any sort of additional income to the owners.
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The Need for Agriculture Tourism
Nature is an open opportunity for learning without any closed doors or walls. If nature is observed carefully, you can explore the treasures which are hidden in it and get to know more things about it. As India is a country that has a majority of the population depending on agriculture, people would get to learn more information from it. The population belonging to urban areas is increasing on a daily basis and the children belonging to the urban families are able to view nature on television. This is because they are very much restricted to closed buildings, video games, junk foods, the internet, and all the activities which would spoil them physically and mentally. People living in urban areas also stopped visiting their relatives in rural areas as they got habituated to a comfortable life in the cities. These days, Agriculture is becoming a business and most of the poor people are not in a position to afford it. There is also a slow decrease in the fertility of the soil and land which is decreasing the yields. There is a major need for the farmers to start a business that would support the farm by generating income and also make the people know about the importance of agriculture and the life of farmers.
Importance of Agriculture Tourism
As agriculture these days is being commercialized by completely concentrating on large productions, agri-tourism will give an opportunity for the farmers to share the works done on a farm with the individuals. Agricultural tourism will allow the farmers to sell the vegetables or any other products grown on the farm to the tourists or visitors. This would again be a source of income for the farmers. The education has completely included the technology courses to a more extent and as a result of this, children will grow without any sort of knowledge regarding the farm animals or farm life. Hence, tourism in Agriculture will give an opportunity to the children to learn about the farm culture to some extent at least.
Benefits of Agriculture Tourism for the farmers:
- There would be a chance for the farmers to expand the operations of farming.
- There would be an increase in the revenues of the farm.
- There would be development in the consumer markets and as a result, employment increases.
- The awareness about the agricultural goods which are produced locally will increase.
- People living in urban areas will get to know about the importance of agricultural land.
- The living conditions of the farm will increase, which would, in turn, lead to an increase in the opportunities for farm recreation.
- The skills of management and the spirit of entrepreneurship will be improved.
- The businesses of the farm will have an opportunity to sustain themselves for a long time.
Benefits of Agriculture Tourism for the communities:
- It generates supplementary income for the local businesses as they need to provide services for visitors or tourists.
- There would be an upgrade in the facilities of the communities for the sake of tourists.
- There would be an improvement in the protection of the landscapes in the rural areas as it needs to serve the tourists.
- The traditions which are followed locally in terms of art and craft will be preserved as they will have an opportunity to create markets if tourism is developed.
- This promotes inter-regional and intercultural communication.
- There would be an increase in awareness about the issues related to agriculture and also the values followed.
- The local products and services which are part of agriculture can be promoted.
- The rural economy can be strengthened which would create income through jobs.
Benefits of Agriculture Tourism for Tourism Operators:
- There would be a chance to mix the services and products of tourism to visitors.
- Tourism will be improved even in rural areas.
- Tourism markets will have a unique place in rural areas
- The length of the season will increase mainly in the off-peak business times which are traditionally followed.
- The currency, which is non-local will be flowing into the businesses which are set up in the rural regions.
Benefits of Agri-tourism for the people living away from farms:
- The farm which is a part of agri-tourism will provide urban people to interact with nature. Though they directly will not participate in the farming activities, they would watch closely the operations of farming and get to know about the importance of it. Visitors can also enjoy the scenic beauty of nature and farming.
- Farming will create an opportunity for tourists or visitors to learn about how farming operations are carried. It also helps to educate visitors about how to combine tourism and the preservation of the environment.
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The scope of Agriculture Tourism
- In agri-tourism, the costs of accommodation, food, and travel will be very low. This is to enhance the tourist population. The current concept of travel and tourism is just to urban areas which are just a section of the population. Hence, the Agri-tourism will take travel and tourism to a huge population which will enhance the scope of tourism.
- The urban population, which have their roots in the rural areas will always show interest in learning about the sources of food, wood, languages, arts, crafts, dresses, etc. Agri-tourism will satisfy the urban population who are curious to learn about farming.
- Rural areas will give an opportunity for recreation at a low cost to the children, middle and low-class families. The festivals, dresses, games which are conducted as a part of agri-tourism will entertain the whole family.
- The people living in urban areas have a lifestyle that includes stress due to which the average life span has decreased. The individuals trying to earn more to live a comfortable life, due to which they work for more hours and miss peace in their lives. Agri-tourism will help these people to achieve peace as it would be away from all these polluted areas.
- The urban population is searching for the means of healthy living and interaction will villagers would help them to know about their medical knowledge which is indigenous. The foods which are cultivated organically have much demand among the urban populations due to which they are approaching the villages for the solutions.
- The urban population who have a busy lifestyle are always trying to be close to nature in their free time. Mountains, crops, rivers, lakes, birds will make the urban population forget about their busy life and be close to nature.
- The urban population is overcrowded and hence as they do not want to disturb each other’s peace, they are going beyond the cities for the sake of resorts. Good efforts are made to create the village atmosphere in the name of resorts in which farmhouses are built which would be the same as the farms.
- Agri-Tourism in the future would bring a much urban population to farming which will technically improve the farming operations. As agri-tourism makes the people believe in the magic of nature, this would not only help the people commercially but also the agriculture operations increase.
Services/Activities of Agriculture Tourism
- Recreation in outdoor areas.
- Rides on Bullock cart.
- Kabaddi
- Langadi
- Bullock ploughing.
- Riding on Horseback.
- Buffalo riding
- Watching the animals which are grown on the farm for domestic use.
- Fishing in rivers or lakes or ponds.
- Camping/picnicking (combined)
- Rides in Jeep
- Games in the rural areas
- Riding Motorcycles on the off-road
- Gotya
- Practical experiences of the education.
- Tours with schools
- Tours to gardens or nurseries.
- Tours to wineries.
- Agro-technical tours
- Exhibitions of agriculture in history.
- Tours to Micro-breweries
- Visits to Poultry Farm.
- Visits to Sugar Factory.
- Visits to Wine or Liquor Factory
- Silk formation can be viewed.
- Entertainment in the form of festivals of harvest etc.
- Services of hospitality include stay on the farm, guides for the tourists etc.
- Sales of the farm products directly.
Principles of Agriculture Tourism
Agri Tourism should make sure that the below principles are followed:
The appeal is in the form of both visual and physical:
Agricultural tourism should make sure that the visitors or the tourists are provided with something which is unique to the sight and also the feeling which comes physically. For example, good grains or oilseeds are grown in various stages, medicinal plants, various vegetables, fruits, flowers, animals, lakes will attract the youngsters and the kids. Crafts, games, art, apparel will create sufficient interest and excite many tourists.
Participation and Involvement of the tourists: Agri-Tourism should be in such a way that it gives an opportunity for the visitors or tourists to participate in the activities of the farm. The farm activities would be like ploughing, harrowing the fields, buffalo riding, cooking, making crafts so that they would enjoy.
Provision of Sales Counter: There should be an option to pick and choose the cultivation which is done by the farmers of their own choice. Here, the tourists will harvest the produce of their own choice on the basis of payment. Hence the farmers can sell the foodgrains, seeds, vegetables, fruits, etc.
Main factors of Agriculture Tourism
There are a few main factors that contribute to the success of Agri Tourism.
- The farmer is the first one in the important factors of Agri-tourism. He is the one who is not educated well and is also innocent. He treats the guests with the utmost respect and with a complete heart. He not only entertains the guests but also entertains himself while explaining to the tourists or visitors about the farming process. The farmer is not a businessman which itself makes the touristy atmosphere clean and pure.
- The village is the one which is very far from the cities and has very few facilities which are provided in the urban areas. The investment for Agri-tourism is made by nature itself in the form of water-bodies, mountains, crops, etc. The villagers, when given a responsibility to host people, will treat the guests with due respect as they consider it as a part of their culture.
- The resources of agriculture which are in the form of land, plants, and water will be unique and will be changing from place to place. Each agricultural field is different which attracts tourists in a different way.
Agro Tourism Resorts in India:
- Malshej Agro Tourism (Pune).
- Deorai Farms & Agro Tourism-Agro Resort (Pune).
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