Agritourism in India

 Indian Economy

Agritourism in India

For Prelims: Agri-tourism, Indigenous Knowledge, Dekho Apna Desh, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, Banni Grasslands, Swadesh Darshan Scheme, Ashok Dalwai Committee.

For Mains: Agritourism and its potential in India, challenges associated with it, and the way forward.

Why in News?

Himachal Pradesh (HP) is promoting agritourism as a means to boost its economy, where tourism currently contributes around 7% to the state's GDP.

Agritourism Opportunities in HP

• Orchards: HP can cultivate high-value crops like tulips (in Kangra), saffron, and medicinal herbs.
• Educational Agritourism: Students can visit farms to learn about food production and sustainability, while farmers can offer educational tours for a fee.
• Nutraceutical Farming: HP has potential to promote Himalayan herbs, attracting health-focused tourists interested in organic farming and nutraceuticals.
• Cultural Connection: Involve local youth to share farm stories and develop agritourism sites that showcase traditional farming practices and culture.

What is Agritourism?

• About: Agritourism is a commercial activity that combines agriculture and tourism, inviting visitors to farms for educational or recreational purposes while providing additional income to farmers.
• Benefits:
  • Boosting the Rural Economy: Offers farmers alternative income through farm stays, tours, and hands-on experiences, reducing dependency on uncertain crop yields.
  • Job Creation: It creates employment opportunities for artisans, guides, cooks, and transport providers, with rural women and youth benefiting the most.
  • Sustainable Tourism: Promotes organic farming, water conservation, and eco-friendly accommodations, unlike mass tourism, which strains resources.
  • Preserving Agricultural Heritage: Helps preserve traditional farming, crafts, folk music, and indigenous knowledge, allowing tourists to experience and support rural heritage.
  • Building Social Capital: Strengthens ties between rural and urban communities through shared experiences, knowledge exchange, and economic interactions.
  • Educational Experiences: Visitors can learn about organic farming, animal husbandry, and environmental conservation, with schools organizing farm visits for hands-on education.
  • Government Alignment: Schemes like Dekho Apna Desh and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund support agri-tourism by improving infrastructure, marketing, and training for farmers.

State-Level Initiatives:

• Maharashtra: Pioneer in agritourism, establishing the Agro-Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) in 2005, with a pilot project in Baramati, Pune, and over 328 agritourism centers across 30 districts.
• Karnataka: Coorg offers coffee plantation stays where visitors can experience coffee production from picking to brewing.
• Kerala: Kerala Agro-Tourism Network allows visitors to explore aromatic gardens, learn about spice cultivation, and buy organic spices.
• Sikkim: As India's first organic state, Sikkim offers agritourism experiences including farm visits, sustainable farming lessons, and farmer interactions.
• Punjab: Showcases traditional meals (e.g., sarson da saag, makki di roti) and folk performances to preserve rural culture.

Potential in Other States:

• Bihar: Muzaffarpur’s litchi orchards and Nalanda’s organic farms attract wellness tourists.
• Rajasthan: Desert agriculture, camel farming, and Bishnoi village stays offer insights into sustainable farming and wildlife conservation.
• North-East India: Rich biodiversity and traditional farming methods in states like Arunachal Pradesh (e.g., wet rice cultivation in Ziro Valley) and Meghalaya (e.g., bamboo drip irrigation) can attract eco-tourists.
• Chhattisgarh: Tribal farm tourism in Bastar allows visitors to experience traditional Mahua brewing and organic farming.
• Gujarat: Kutch’s Banni Grasslands offer pastoral tourism with the Rabari community, while Anand features dairy tourism with Amul.

Government Policies & Initiatives:

• Swadesh Darshan Scheme: Promotes theme-based tourism circuits to boost local economies and showcase India’s culture, heritage, and natural resources, such as the Tribal Circuit.
• PMJUGA: Under the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, 1,000 homestays are being developed in tribal areas to boost tourism and livelihoods.
• Dekho Apna Desh Scheme: Encourages domestic tourism, urging Indians to explore lesser-known destinations.
• National Strategy for Promotion of Rural Homestays, 2022: Supports agritourism as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative.

Challenges Associated with Agritourism:

• High Competition: Low awareness and competition from eco, cultural, and adventure tourism hinder agritourism’s growth.
• Poor Accessibility: Inadequate roads, transportation, and healthcare deter tourists, while farmers face financial constraints that limit investment in infrastructure, marketing, and training.
• Land Use Conflicts: Agritourism may lead farmers to prioritize tourism over crop production due to the immediate cash flow from homestays and resorts.
• Monoculture: Regions dominated by monoculture (e.g., wheat and rice) may discourage agritourism, as tourists seek interactive farming experiences such as horticulture and livestock rearing.
• Seasonal Dependency: Income from agritourism is seasonal, peaking during harvests but declining in off-seasons or during extreme weather events.
• Security Concerns: Remote agritourism sites face risks like theft, wild animal encounters, and limited emergency services.
• Lack of Skills: Farmers and rural entrepreneurs often lack skills in customer service, tour management, and hospitality, making it difficult to engage visitors effectively.

Way Forward:

• Infrastructure Development: Invest in better rural connectivity, including roads, transport, water supply, and electricity, to facilitate easy access to agritourism sites.
• Accommodation Facilities: Support sustainable, affordable farm stays, with financial assistance for eco-friendly accommodations.
• Skill Development: Train farmers and rural youth in hospitality, customer service, and farm management through collaborations with agriculture universities and private firms.
• Community Participation: Form Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for collective agritourism management and involve stakeholders like tourism boards, investors, and NGOs.
• Regulatory Framework: Develop clear policies with defined activities, safety norms, and a single-window clearance system for faster approvals.

Drishti Mains Question:
Discuss the role of agritourism in boosting rural economies and employment in India. What measures can be taken to enhance its growth?

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year’s Questions (PYQs):
Mains
Q. How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism? (2019)
Q. The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are reaching the limits of their ecological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate. (2015)

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