Agritourism in India

• 03 Mar 2025

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, Associated challenges and way forward.  

Source: BL 

Why in News?

Himachal Pradesh (HP) is promoting agri-tourism to strengthen its economy where tourism contributes around 7% to the State's GDP. 

Agritourism Opportunities in HP 

• Orchards: Himachal can grow high-value crops like tulips (Kangra region), saffron, and medicinal herbs. 
• Educational Agritourism: Students can explore farms to learn about food and sustainability, while farmers can host educational tours for a fee. 
• Nutraceutical Farming: Himachal can promote Himalayan herbs, attracting nutraceutical tourism focused on health and organic farming. 
• Cultural Connection: Engage local youth to share farm stories and develop agritourism sites showcasing traditional farming and culture. 

What is Agritourism? 

• About: Agritourism is a form of commercial enterprise that connects agriculture with tourism, attracting visitors to farms for education or entertainment while providing additional income to farmers.  
• Benefits: 
  • Boosting Rural Economy: It provides farmers with alternative income through farm/home stays, tours, and hands-on experiences, reducing reliance on uncertain crop yields and stabilizing finances. 
    • It creates jobs for artisans, guides, cooks, and transport providers, offering rural women and youth new employment opportunities. 
  • Sustainable Tourism: It promotes organic farming, water conservation, and eco-friendly stays, unlike mass tourism, which strains resources. 
  • Preserving Agricultural Heritage: It helps preserve traditional farming, crafts, folk music, and indigenous knowledge, allowing tourists to experience and support rural heritage. 
    • It preserves folk arts, pottery, weaving, and traditional food processing/cuisine and organic produce. 
  • Builds Social Capital: It builds social capital by fostering connections between rural and urban communities through shared experiences, knowledge exchange, and economic interactions. 
  • Educational Experiences: It educates visitors on organic farming, animal husbandry, and environmental conservation, with schools and universities organizing farm visits for hands-on learning. 
  • Aligning with Government Policies: Schemes like Dekho Apna Desh, and Agriculture Infrastructure Fund support farmers in agri-tourism by improving infrastructure, marketing, and training. 
• State-Level Initiatives:  
  • Maharashtra: Maharashtra was the first state to promote agritourism, establishing the Agro-Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) in 2005.  
    • ATDC runs a 28-acre pilot project in Baramati, Pune, with 328 agritourism centers across 30 districts. 
    • E.g., Vineyards (Nashik, Pune) and mango (Ratnagiri, Raigad) orchards in Maharashtra. 
  • Karnataka: Karnataka's Coorg offers coffee plantation stays where visitors experience coffee production from picking to brewing.  
  • Kerala: Launched the Kerala Agro-Tourism Network that offers visitors a chance to explore aromatic gardens, learn about spice cultivation, and buy organic spices.  
  • Sikkim: Sikkim, India's first organic state, offers agri-tourism with farm visits, sustainable agriculture lessons, and farmer interactions. 
  • Punjab: Tractor rides, traditional meals (sarson da saag and makki di roti), and folk performances showcase and preserve rural culture.  
• Potential: 
  • Bihar: Muzaffarpur’s litchi orchards offer agri-tourism, while Nalanda’s organic farms attract wellness tourists. 
  • Rajasthan: Rajasthan’s desert agriculture, camel farming, and Bishnoi village stays offer insights into rural life, sustainable farming, and wildlife conservation. 
  • North-East India: North-East has rich biodiversity and traditional farming methods that can attract eco-conscious travelers.  
    • E.g., Wet Rice Cultivation by Apatani tribe in Ziro Valley (Arunachal Pradesh), Bamboo Drip Irrigation (Meghalaya). 
  • 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: Develop theme-based tourism circuits to boost local economies by showcasing India's culture, heritage, and natural resources. E.g., Tribal Circuit. 
  • PMJUGA: As a part of Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA), 1,000 homestays are being developed in tribal areas to boost tourism and livelihoods. 
  • Dekho Apna Desh Scheme: It boosts domestic tourism, encouraging Indians to explore lesser-known destinations. 
  • National Strategy for Promotion of Rural Homestays, 2022: Prepared by the Ministry of Tourism, it supports agritourism as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative. 
• Agro-Tourism Destinations in India: 

What Challenges are Associated with Agritourism? 

• High Competition: Low awareness and competition from eco, cultural, and adventure tourism limit agro-tourism growth. 
• Poor Accessibility: Poor roads, transport, and healthcare deter tourists, while financial limits hinder farmers' investment in accommodation, training, or marketing.  
  • E.g., Agro-tourism sites in Uttarakhand remain inaccessible during monsoons. 
• Land Use Conflict: Agri-tourism can divert land from farming, with farmers prioritizing tourism over crop production as income from tourism through homestays, resorts, and restaurants is more profitable and provides immediate cash flow. 
• Monoculture: Monoculture dominated by wheat and rice in northern states like Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP etc discourages agritourism as tourists prefer interactive farming activities like horticulture, floriculture, and livestock rearing. 
• Seasonal Dependency: Agri-tourism income fluctuates with seasons, peaking during crop harvests but declining in off-seasons or due to harsh weather events. 
  • E.g., Rajasthan's desert farms face low summer tourism due to heat, while Assam's tea estates see declines in monsoons due to floods and roadblocks. 
• Security Concerns: Remote agro-tourism sites face risks like theft, wild animals, and limited emergency services. E.g., Wild elephant threats in Karnataka. 
• Lack of Skills: Farmers and rural entrepreneurs lack training in customer service, tour management, and accommodation, making visitor engagement challenging.  
  • Poor planning further hampers the balance between farming and tourism. 

Way Forward

• Infrastructure Development: Improve rural connectivity by investing in better roads, transportation, water supply, and electricity for easy access. 
  • E.g., develop dedicated agrarian tourism circuits to enhance visitor experience. 
• Accommodation Facilities: Promote sustainable, affordable farm stays with financial support for farmers to develop eco-friendly accommodations. 
  • Further, it needs to be registered and in compliance with rules and regulations of the local authorities to address security concerns. 
• Skill Development: Train farmers and youth as tourist mitras in hospitality, customer service, and farm management by collaborating with agriculture universities and private firms under PPP to provide hands-on training in agritourism. 
• Community Participation: Form FPOs for collective agritourism management and involve tourism boards, investors, and NGOs for infrastructure and skill development. 
  • Empower Gram Sabhas to develop and promote rural tourism, linking their Finance Commission grants to the success of such initiatives. 
• Regulatory Framework: Create clear agritourism policies with defined activities and safety norms, and implement single-window clearance 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)