Agro Tourism: Supplementary Business to Farming

Agro Tourism: Supplementary Business to Farming

Since last fifteen-sixteen years, Agro Tourism is proving to be boon for the farmers in some parts of Maharashtra. Because of the whimsical and unpredictable nature of the climate, farmers are facing severe problems due to dry and wet famines, environmental imbalances, changing sowing cycles etc. India is an agrarian country. Farming is being done in India since ages. And it is on this farm fields that the generations of farmers have thrived. Farming technique between present and yesteryears has also undergone drastic changes. And with this, there have been similar changes in other allied occupations which supplement agricultural income. Transforming oneself along with the time, is sure sign of progress and the sign of moving towards opulence. There are many supplementary occupations to agriculture and agro tourism is one such occupation.  Taking into account the increasing attention which agro tourism is receiving, there is no doubt that in near future it is going to be very important source of supplementary income for the farmers. Especially in Maharashtra, agro tourism is seeing significant increase both in terms of its reach and publicity.

Significant increase in the organisation of Maharashtra has on one hand lead to spurt in the interest towards agro tourism. Farmers can avail the opportunities which have arisen due to this increased organisation. Because of the adverse condition like climate change, dry and wet famines, saline lands due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and meagre income generated from the farm produce due to lack of attractive market price is leading many farmers towards, suicides. Decreased farm sizes and unpredictable climate has driven farm production towards new lows. Even investment in agricultural research has also been reduced drastically;  all this factors are complimenting the crisis in agriculture. We read and discuss about all this on social media and in our daily lives. And to make matter worse for all of us, now we are also seeing decrease in farm produce.

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If there is low farm produce the farmer is sure to suffer losses. And this in turn is going to affect his family and also the village economy in a longer run. As farmers always face financial hardships, they have to find a way out of this misery. Today, supplementary activities to agriculture have now become important for farmers to generate income. As there are more farmer suicides in Marathwada and Vidharbha, Agro tourism can surely help farmers in coping with their crisis. Because of agro tourism, now many farmers are standing on their own and are also getting good income from it too. Farmers are now doing this business with pride and are becoming financially independent. This is also helping in a way for the development of his village. This is also generating job opportunity for his fellow villagers. Which can surely reduce the migration from the villages towards the cities.

Many agro tourism centres have proved successful and are doing good business. Chandrashekhar Bhadsavle’s Saguna Baug in Raigad district, Manoj Hadwale’s Parashar Agro Tourism centre in Junnar, Pune are few of the examples of agro tourism centres. Ganesh Uttekar and few other young progressive farmers have came together to form Tapola Agro Tourism center, near Mahabaleshwar, on the backwaters of Koyna dam. They have established a professional farmers company for this purpose. Pandurang Tawre has taken a lead and has brought together farmers who are engaged in agro tourism under the banner of Agri Tourism Development Corporation. A agro tourism centre in Palshiwadi village in Baramati tehsil is helping connect the urban masses with rural areas. Fruit and vegetables grown in agro tourism centre can help the farmer to supplement his income. Display of traditional art and craft works in the agro tourism centre can help the farmers. Thus due to agro tourism farmers can find a new mode of avenue to generate income. And thus because of agro tourism, farmers can improve the financial condition of their household. Agro tourism centres are surely generating much needed confidence among the farmers of Maharashtra, which indeed is a very good sign.

Translator 

Sajid Inamdar