By-Vinaya Kumar H M

Ph.D scholar

SEMINAR ON

Agro-Tourism: Scope and Opportunities for the Farmers in India

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-tourism2. 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.

IISCOPE 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

activitiesF. Ensuring hygiene and basic requirements considering

urban visitorsG. 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

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF AGRI TOURISM IN INDIA

Deepika Chadda and Sharayu Bhakare, 2012

I

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.

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

II

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 THEBARAMATI 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

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