SEMINAR ON

Agro-Tourism: Scope and Opportunities

for the Farmers in India
By-
Vinaya Kumar H M
Ph.D scholar
 OUTLINE OF THE
PRESENTATION
 Introduction
 Clarification of concepts

 Scope and opportunities

 Basic principles

 SWOT analysis

 Research evidences.
INTRODUCTION
AGRICULTURE IS BACKBONE OF INDIAN
ECONOMY.
Tourism has become one of the major
sectors of Indian economy
 Present Situation and Features of
Tourism in India

 US$100 billion in 2010 and

 US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 10.1%

annual growth rate.
 TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN INDIA:
 India is a country known for its lavish treatment
to all visitors,
 no matter where they come from.

 Its visitor-friendly traditions, varied life styles

and cultural heritage
 colorful fairs and festivals held long-lasting
attractions for the tourists.
 Other…
 1. To know the concept of Agro-tourism
 2. To analyse the scope and oportunities for
Agro-tourism in India
 3. To study the Basic Principles of Agri –
Tourism
 4. To review the studies related to Agro-
tourism in India
 I

UNDERSTANDING CONCEPTS
AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM

 Enterprising Farmers

 Instrument for
WHAT IS AGRI-TOURISM ?
 Agri-tourism is all about unraveling various facets of
village life.
 This includes opening up farms to tourists from
cities and abroad, and letting them spend some
time in the lap of nature.
 Apart from telling them about the various crops and
how they are sown and harvested, agri-tourism
exposes tourists to authentic food, handicraft,
dress, culture, music and language.
WHAT IS AGRI-TOURISM ?

 Two-thirds of India’s population

 But unfortunately, unlike IT, agriculture is facing

under-investment.
 II
SCOPE
AND
OPPORTUNITIES
FOR AGRO-TOURISM IN INDIA
 SCOPE OF AGRI - TOURISM

 1. An inexpensive gateway

 2. Curiosity about the farming industry and life style

 3. Strong demand for wholesome family oriented

recreational activities

 4. Health consciousness of urban population and finding

comfort with nature friendly means
 5. Desire for peace and harmony

 6. Interest in natural environment

 7. disappointment with over crowded resorts and cities

 8. homesickness for their roots on the farm

 9. Rural recreation

 10. Educational value of Agri-Tourism

SOME OF THE IMPORTANT ADVANTAGES OF AGRI –
TOURISM ARE:

 1. It brings major primary sector agriculture closer to

major service sector tourism.

 2. Tourism sector has potential to enlarge.

 3. Agriculture sector has the capacity to absorb

expansion in tourism Sector.
OBJECTIVE OF PROMOTING AGRI TOURISM

 To introduce farmers and interested

entrepreneurs with the concept of agri-tourism
as an additional revenue generating option
along with their regular business.

 To attract national & international tourist

SIGNIFICANCE OF AGRI TOURISM

 • An opportunity for city-dwellers to visit “The

rural life of India”.

 • Introduction to village life with first hand

experience on the farm.

 • Chance for urban children to taste fresh farm

products.
 WHY AGRI TOURISM?

 • Environment friendly concept

 • Natural experience

 •Help maintains the natural landscape of the

local region

 •Access to unprocessed natural agri produce

 • Sustains local cultures

 • Direct market for the handicrafts

BENEFITS: A GLIMPSE…

 Agritourism center in

 • Malegaon: India
 25% increase in Farmers income in just one year

 • Italy: Gallo Rosso

 233% growth form 1999 to 2007

 • U.S. Farms:
 $955 million additional income in just one year 2004.

 Source:
 1. http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?aid=2654&sid=18&sname=Coverstory
 2.http://www.tourismfutures.com.au/Publications/2009Presentations/Porcaro%20Pauline%20PP.pdf
 3. http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/February08/Findings/Agritourism.htm
 AGRI-TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES IN
INDIA

 1. Indian tourism industry is growing @10.1%

 2. India has entered amongst the top 10 tourist
destinations list
 3. India has diverse culture and geography

 4. Increasing number of tourists preferring non-

urban tourist spots
 5. Government initiatives and policies in five year
plan
 BENEFITS OF AGRO-TOURISM CENTRES
 Agro-Tourism has the potential to change the economic
face of traditional agriculture.
 Employment opportunities
 protest against income fluctuation.
 Cultural transformation
 Farmers can improve their standard of living
 Benefits to the urban peoples, they can understand about
the rural life and know about the agricultural activities.
 It support for rural and agricultural development process.
 Help to the reduce burden on the other traditional tourist
centres.
ROLE OF AGRICULTURE INSTITUTES IN
PROMOTION OF AGRI-TOURISM
 Market mix strategy:
i. Product
ii. Price
iii. Place
iv. Promotion
v. Policies
vi. Positioning
 “Come, pluck a fruit, smell a flower, run in the fields, lie

on the hay and be lost in rural India”.

ISSUES NEEDING ATTENTION FOR THE
PROMOTION OF AGRI-TOURISM
 1. Publicity
 2. Transport

 3. Accommodation

 4. Networking

 5. Capacity building of farmers

 6. Safety of tourists

 7. Public - Private partnership

NETWORK OF STAKEHOLDERS IN PROMOTION OF
AGRI-TOURISM
 PROBLEMS OF THE AGRO TOURISM:-
A. Lake of perfect knowledge about the agro-tourism.
B. Weak communication skill and lake of commercial
approach of the farmers.
C. Lake of funds to develop basic infrastructure for the agro-
tourism.
D. Presence of unorganized sector in the Agri-Tourism
industry.
E. Ignorance of the farmers regarding to the such type of
activities
F. Ensuring hygiene and basic requirements considering
urban visitors
G. Lakhs of farmers have small size holding, low quality land
and little or no access to credit or irrigation. Have to
negotiate with consistent drought.
RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SUCCESS OF THIS
INDUSTRY

 1. Infrastructure:
 2. Outdoor Recreational Activities:
 3. Introduction of Entertainment
 4. Programs:
 5. Security & Risk Aspects:
 6. Strategic planning:
 7. Tourism package :
 8. Community participation & leadership:
 9. Sufficient funds for tourism development:
 10.Formation of agri-tourism development finance
corporation:
 11.Coordination and cooperation between rural tourism
entrepreneurs
 III

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
AGRI – TOURISM
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF AGRI-TOURISM

 Agri-tourism should ensure the following three basic

principles.
 1. Have something for visitors to see:-

Animals, birds, farms and nature are the

few things which Agri-tourism could offer to the
tourist to see. Apart from these, culture, dress,
festivals and rural games could create enough
interest among forest in Agritourism.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF AGRI-TOURISM
 2. Have something for visitors to do:-

Participating in agricultural operations and

swimming, bullock cart riding, camel riding, buffalo
riding, cooking and participating in the rural games
are the few activities to quote in which tourist can
take part and enjoy.
BASIC PRINCIPLES OF AGRI-TOURISM

 3. Have something for visitors to buy:-

Rural crafts, dress materials, farm gate fresh

agriculture products, processed foods are the few
items which tourist can buy as memento for
remembrance.
 AGROTOURISM.mp4

 A Heritage Rural Stay in the Malnad region in

Chikmagalur, Karnataka on www.namastay.in.mp4
AGRI-TOURISM SOWS SEEDS OF SUCCESS IN INDIA
AGRI TOURISM SOWS SEEDS OF SUCCESS IN INDIA

 Tourism industry professional Pandurang Taware

says

 “I did my own survey and found that about 73% of

the people from cities wanted to visit farms on
weekends.

 But half of those people couldn’t do so as they had

no relatives residing in villages and also they were
not aware of any villages they could spend their
weekends in.”
ESTABLISHMENT OF AGRI TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
 Agri Tourism Development Corporation in July 2005 out of
a small office in Pune.
 The concept’s popularity has encouraged Yes Bank and
Confederation of indian Industry to prepare an agri-tourism
feasibility report on UP farms.
ROLE OF ATDC

 ATDC’s mission is “To promote agriculture tourism

to achieve income, employment and economic
stability in rural communities in India. To help
boosting a range of activities, services and
amenities.
 ATDC helped in preparation of Agro Tourism project
report and business plan for each applicant
agriculture farm.
 Helped to facilitate the financial support from
Nationalize banks, institutes and government
agencies to built agro and rural tourism facilities
and infrastructure like accommodation, sanitation,
approach road etc.
ROLE OF ATDC

 Conducted Agro Tourism Business Training

Program.
 Conducted Seminars and conferences on agri-
tourism business.
 Provided sales and marketing support.

 Coordinated tours from urban areas to the farms.

 NDTV 24X7 Agri Tourism India.mp4
THREE IMPORTANT FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE
TO THE SUCCESS OF AGRI-TOURISM

 1. Farmer:
 Majority of the cases, farmer is less educated, less
exposed and innocent.
 For farmer, any outsider is a guest and treated
wholeheartedly without any commercial motive.
 Treating guest is pleasure for them than pain.

 He entertains the guest while entertaining himself in

the process.
 He is not like an exploitative natured businessman
which itself facilitate a clean tourism atmosphere
FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF
AGRI-TOURISM

 2. Village :
 Village, which is located far from the city

 lacks urban facilities, but blessed with natural

resources.
 The investment is made by nature in the form of
water bodies, fields, forest, mountains, deserts and
islands.
 Community is more homogenous and treating a
guest is part of their culture rather than a profession
leading to natural environment required for urban
tourist.
FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF
AGRI-TOURISM

 3. Agriculture:
 Rich resources in agriculture namely land, water
and plants are unique from place to place bringing
diversity and creating curiosity.
 Indigenous knowledge of rural people is a wealth,
which adds to novelty an curiosity of urban
population.
 Combination of farmer, village and agriculture
create a wonderful situation which provides
unlimited satisfaction to the tourist specially from
urban areas.
 VISITOR PROFILE
 • National and international tourists.
 • Government officials

 • State tourism departments

 • Farmers

 • Interested entrepreneurs

 • Businessmen

 • Bureaucrats

 • Corporates

 • Technocrats and many more.

ATTRACTIONS OF AGRI-TOURISM CENTERS

 • Bullock cart rides

 • Wine tasting

 • Participation in farm activities

 • Fruit picking

 • Experience of village life

 • Agri market area

 • Star gazing areas

 EXPECTED OUT COME
 • Agri-tourism Centers are a new tourist attraction.

 • Learning experience for farmers while interacting

with National and international agri-tourism centers

 • Young generation and entrepreneurs may find the

new business concept attractive

 • Opportunities for collaboration with international and

national agritourism centers.
 KEY TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESS IN
AGRO-TOURISM
 Give a wide publicity of your tourism centre by new
papers, television etc Use all possible advertisement
means.
 Develop contacts with the schools, colleges, NGOs,
clubs, unions, organisations etc.
 Train your staff or family members for reception and
hospitality
 understand about the customers wants and their
expectations and serve
 Charge optimum rent and charges for the
facilities/services on the commercial base
 Do the artificially use local resources for the entertain /
serve to tourist
 Develop your website and update time to time for
attract foreign tourist
 Take their feedback and comments about the service
and suggestions to more development and modification
 Develop a good relationship with the tourist for future
business and chain publicity
 Develop different agro-tour packages of for different
type of tourist and their expectations.
 Preserve a address book and comments of the visited
tourists for future tourism business
 Behave sincerely with the tourists and participate with
them / him
 Small farmers can develop their agro-tourism centres
on the basis of cooperative society.
POSITIVE SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACT -
 The rural people will learn the modern culture.
 They will learn to come out of their traditional values and
beliefs.
 They will adopt different practice of modern society.

 Since the income from tourism is much higher than what

rural people can earn from agriculture and other allied
services.
 Education and health of the rural community will improve.

 Provide higher standard of living to rural people.

POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
 The rural people will learn how to lead healthy and hygienic life
from the urban people visitors.
 Infrastructure development will lead to healthy tourism.
 The impact of rural environment can improve the state of body
and mind.
 Help in create and maintain the natural park.
 Learn the importance of preservation of natural resources.
 They will learn to develop healthy environment with proper
sanitation, roads, electricity, telecommunication, etc.
 They will learn to use modern tools and technology.
 They will learn to preserve the natural habitats, bio-diversity
historical monuments
POSITIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT-
 It will create employment for the rural people and
generate income for them.

 The villagers will able to provide better food and

education for their children.

 Income level will rise.

 Generate foreign exchange

 With the rise of income other measure of community like

education, health etc will rise.
 The price of the land will rise.

 The expenditure on housing will increase.

 Demand for other goods and services will increase.

 Improvement in the public services.

 Generate revenue to the government.

 Modernization of agriculture and other rural activities.

 Local small businessman will be benefited.

 IV

STUDIES RELATED
TO
AGRO-TOURISM
 I

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF
AGRI TOURISM IN INDIA

 Deepika Chadda and Sharayu Bhakare, 2012

 This project is replicated in three states in India.
 The impact factor has been phenomenal as the per capita
income has seen a rise.
 Farmer feedback has revealed that there has been a minimum
33% income rise to basic agriculture income.
 Agri tourism has the capacity to create a win win situation for
both the farmers as well as the tourists.
 The farmers benefit by deriving additional source of income
and tourist hunger natural environment is satiated.
 Employment generation through allied activities like organic
and dairy farming.
 Gender bias is reduced as both male and female get equal
opportunities to earn
 Frequency of income generation increases from once a year
to once a week.
 II
STUDY ON IMPROVING THE POTENTIAL FOR RURAL TOURISM IN
KERALA- WITH EMPHASIS ON DEVELOPING THE POTENTIAL OF
LOCAL AREAS OF TOURISM IMPORTANCE WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO PONNUMTHURUTHU, ANCHUTHENGU AND
KUMBALANGI

 Jubin Joy John et. all, 2007

CHALLENGES IN RURAL TOURISM
 Legislation Problems
 • Lack of Trained Manpower

 • Insufficient Financial Support

 • Underdeveloped people

 • Lack of proper physical communications

 • Lack of Basic Education

 • Language problems

 • Business Planning Skills

 • Trained tourist guide

 • Communication Skills
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
RURAL TOURISM ARE:

 • Creation of infrastructure
 • Restructuring and liberalization of policies

 • Encouragement for investment

 • Law and Order

 • Tourist Police

 • Complaints Handling

 • Standardization of goods and services

 • Government support
CASE STUDIES
 SUCCESS STORY OF SHRI
CHANDRASHEKHAR BHADSAVALE
 A tour can be organized for visitors to nearby tourist and
religious places.
 Shri Bhadsavale has implemented innovative ideas like
buffalo ride in water, which has become quite popular
amongst foreign tourists and college students! He provides
them food which is made of from locally available
vegetables and thus providing them regional flavour.
 If interested, fresh vegetables, locally made handicraft and
handloom items as well as food items are sold to these
visitors as momento to cherish the memories of time they
spent on his farm.
 He is earning 1.25 lakh to 2.0 lakh per annum
RUTU FARM AGRI TOURISM CENTRE,
PASARNI, WAI
 Rutu Farm Agri Tourism Holiday Home offers a one-
of-a-kind experience in an idyllic setting at the foot
hills of Panchgani,
 bullock cart ride, tractor ride, Surparambhya, to
name just a few.
 Here we provide opportunity for urban people to get
back to the roots.
DAILY ACTIVITY IN THE AGRICULTURE FARM:
 • Animal Feeding;
 • Guided Crop /Vegetables / Fruits farms visits and tours
 • Watching domestic animals and How to care for cattle
 • U-Pick Operations
 • Harvest festivals
 • Rural Festivals/ Jatra
 • Farmers' markets at the village and taluka place
 • Taluka Milk Collection centers Village fairs.
 • Roadside produce stands
 • Milking the Cow
 • Religious Temples Visits
 • Agricultural education programs: how to grow sugar cane,
grapes, pomegranate, guava, watermelon, tomato, other
vegetables,
 • Evening Entertainment Programs
 • Rural folk dance, music, campfire & lot of fun filled
games.
 • Rural games to be played
 • Bullock cart and tractor Rides
 • Vittidandu
 • Gotya
 • Surparanbhya
 • Kabaddi
 • Langadi
 • Kho-Kho
 • Bullock Ploughing
 • Lagore & Gallori
 SUNIL BHOSLE, JOGWADI VILLAGE IN THE
BARAMATI TALUK OF PUNE

 Sunil Bhosle, a farmer in the Jogwadi village in the

Baramati taluk of Pune district,
 a 13 acre piece of land tilled by his entire family
round the year meant an annual income of Rs
60,000-75,000.
 This was before he was exposed to the benefits of
agri-tourism six months ago.
 Bhosle, with the help of the Agri Tourism
Development Corporation (ATDC), opened his
farms to tourists, charging each Rs 300-350.
($6-7)
 CONCLUSION

• Maximizing livelihood benefits needs a good understanding of what

people most need and want (their livelihood priorities) and of the
complex ways in which tourism options affect livelihoods (direct
and indirect livelihood impacts).

• Therefore it requires a considerable role for local people in

decision-making. This can be done either by devolving tourism
rights to community level, and helping communities with
participatory planning; or by ensuring that government planning
processes are participatory and responsive to local needs; or by
ensuring, through government incentives, that planning by private
entrepreneurs is responsive to local needs. Thus, Careful planning
and design, based on an understanding of local livelihoods, can
greatly enhance the positive impacts of tourism.
CHALLENGES IN RURAL TOURISMTHE MAJOR
CHALLENGES ARE
 Need to preserve the environment and natural resources,
 the need for education,
 proper understanding for both tourists and local people,
 the need to generate a democratic movement which helps
people at all levels to participate in tourism development.
 Also they need to focus on occupation training, handicraft
promotion, and improvement of both the landscape and the
basic infrastructure, to increase the villagers quality of life by
creating a healthy environment.
 The cooperative system in rural tourism can be an effective
approach in bringing positive impact in rural areas.
 Local people can monitor and control the negative impacts of
tourism on their own society, if they have an equal stake and
authority in management and development.
INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITY AT AGRO-TOURISM
CENTRES:-
 • Accommodation facilities
 • Wealthy resources in agriculture specifically water and plants at the
place.
 • Cooking equipments for cooking food, if tourist have interested.
 • The well or lake or swimming tank for fishing, swimming
 • Bullock cart, cattle shade, telephone facilities etc.
 • Farmers should offer to see and participate in the agricultural activities.
 • Offer an opportunity to participate in the rural games to the tourist.
 • Present bullock cart for riding and horse riding, buffalo ride in the
water, fishing facility in your pounds or nearest lake.
 • Offer fruits, corns, groundnuts, sugarcane and other agro-products as
per availability.
 • Show local birds, animals and waterfalls
 • Arrange folk dance programme