On the occasion of 14th World Agri-Tourism Day on 16 May

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM – GOVERNMENT OF MAHARAHSTRA AND AGRI TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION – ATDC have organized INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AGRI TOURISM

Theme – Rural Women Sustainable Entrepreneurship Opportunities through Agri Tourism

Agri tourism has tremendous potential for increasing farm incomes and stimulating the development of a dynamic, diversified rural economy. In many developed countries, Agri tourism has become an integral part of the tourism industry. It is being pursued as value addition to farming and as allied business that enable farmers and rural communities to harness the optimal benefits of the multifunctional nature of agriculture and natural resources in rural areas. This trend also gave rise to more demand for visitors’ accommodations and created opportunities for home stays and bed-and-breakfast types of businesses.

The development of these interlinked enterprises also generated other benefits to rural women communities such as better environmental and cultural awareness, preservation of cultural heritage sites, and agro biological diversity. Thus in those more advanced countries, some farms are developed not only for the production of food, fiber, and various agro products but also as tourism enterprises in the countryside.

Two Days long interactive sessions with Stakeholders of Agritourism, farm tourism in India and from across the World is organized to encourage the Rural Women farming community to take up Agri tourism to find out the opportunities and to double the farm income by 2023.

DOT GOM – ATDC will honour several awardees with the “WORLD AGRI TOURISM AWARDS 2021”

This conference will be considering all those Women Farmers across the World who have made the significant contribution to promote and showcase the Agri Tourism Concept to the World.

This Conference will kick start at 9am – online – virtual platform

Background Note
Population of the World has increased five times than that existed in 1950, the land got divided and subdivided per generation, currently only one fourth of the land is available on an average per person as compared to year 1950.

Agriculture as a business is becoming more and more expensive and many farmers cannot afford it. Add to this the gradual loss of fertility of land that is giving diminishing yields.

Unless and until the farmers start business of any form to compliment and support to their income from land, they shall be doomed to eke out a bare existence below poverty line.

In order to encourage farmers to establish small and viable business like Agri-Tourism units on the farm in the villages, ATDC has formed guidance assistance committee to tender advice and technical know how.

75 to 85 % of Population lives in rural villages. 90% of the rural community earns it’s livelihood from agriculture directly or indirectly.

On realizing their difficulties and needs we feel there is still many things than can be done for these people.

ATDC has been concentrating its efforts all along for the overall upliftment of the farmers in rural villages.

To improve the standard of living of the rural people there is need to improve and increased the per capita income from farmers land. For this new approaches beyond traditional farming will have to implement in their farms. Agri-Tourism is one of them.

The rural youth particularly the school drop outs and educational backward neglected rural women constitute more than 50% of our rural population.

Unless we undertake welfare activity for this section of the community social upliftment remains uncompleted. We think these rural women can be good host and help in preparing authentic rural rustic food for the Agri Tourism guests in rural areas. The Agri Tourism Development Corporation has always been diverting its efforts as per the changing needs of the section of the social fabric; the ATDC shall continue to do the same… ATDC since inception has completed 16 years and on 16th May 2021 enters into 17th year, of its journey of prompting Agri Tourism to help rural social economy to flourish and help rural youth and women to earn good respectable living in the village and farm itself.

AGRICULTURAL TOURISM – AGRI TOURISM INDIA
The state of Maharashtra is the pioneer state to develop and promote Agri Tourism in the country. AGRI TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION incorporated in 2005 and owns the pilot Agri tourism project of 28 acres in Palshiwadi, tal Baramati Dist Pune, 70 kms from Pune city. The main activities include operating its Agri tourism centre along with encouraging more farmers to take up Agri tourism, conducting training and research programs. This is an umbrella platform wherein most of the tourist reservations are booked and then tourists are sent to different centres. This saves on the marketing cost of the farmers. They may themselves also take the bookings. ATDC only provides a helping hand. ATDC the umbrella organization for the Agri Tourism, practices what is preached, by successfully operating its owned pilot Agri tourism project.

In 2007, ATDC launched Training and skills development programs with Maharashtra State Agri Tourism Vistar Yojana, first 52 farmers were selected in Maharashtra and the story continues This Agri Tourism model has been replicated in 628 Agri tourism centres across 30 Districts in Maharashtra, which has helped to conserve, enhance the village environment, village traditions and culture, customs, village arts and handicrafts. Agri tourism model gives the authentic experiences to the visitors by showcasing village culture, agriculture, traditions that has helped gain sustainable supplementary income source and generated local employment. The concept of Agri tourism is very simple, whereby the urban tourists go the farmers home; stay like a farmer, engage in farming activities, experience the bullock cart, tractor ride, fly kites, eat authentic food, wear traditional clothes, understand the local culture, enjoy the folk songs and dance, buy fresh farm produce and in turn the farmer maintains home and farm hygiene, greets new tourists, sells his farm produce at a better price, earns a livelihood all year round.

The ATDC survey in 2018 , 2019 , 2020 shows that 0.56 million, 0.61million ,0.78 million tourists have visited these centres respectively totally generating 87.75  million Indian rupees to farmer’s family, generated jobs to women and youth in the rural communities. This created a win win situation for not only the farmers or the tourists but also for the Government. Not only was the farmer family happy to stay in the farm and the tourist satisfied to buy farm fresh produce, but the Government of Maharashtra, Department  of Tourism  accepted us with open arms as Agriculture Tourism was given a major boost in Maharashtra Agri Tourism Policy 2020 , with Maharashtra State Agri and Rural Tourism Development Committee 2021 to have focused efforts in developing Agri tourism

ATDC (Agri Tourism India) Project’s OBJECTIVES are

Following partners have encouraged ATDC in developing Agri Tourism

• Department of Tourism – Government of Maharashtra -Maharashtra Agri Tourism Policy 2020 initiative that has Agri Tourism as the major focus area to help small farmers, One important policy decision taken is the “compulsory educational tour to Agri tourism centres” for fifth to tenth standard school students.
• NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development – Helping small farmers getting financial support through banks to develop Agri tourism centres , this apex bank in rural development in India

Some of the successful agri tourism stories

• Baramati Agri Tourism Center Palshiwadi – owner ATDC- Pune district
• Meher Retreat Agri Tourism Center – owner Mrs Kasar Nanda – Pune District
• Baneswhar Agri Tourism Center – owner Krishnaji Phadtare – Pune District
• Suguna Farms Agri Tourism Center – owner Suguna Ashok Parab – Pune District
• Nisarg Sangeet Agri Tourism Center – owner Mrs Sangita Bhapkar – Pune District
• Indira Farms Agri Tourism Center – owner – Abhimanyu Sandbhor – Pune District
• Anand Krushi Paryatan Kendra – owner – Anandrao Shinde – Satara District
• Abhishek Krushi Parytan Kendra – Owner – Raju Bhandarkavtekar – Solapur District
• Bhumi Agri Tourism Center – Owner Ghanshyam Jogdand – Washim District
• Dirghayu Agri Tourism Center – owner Dr Ashiwini P  Kotkar  – Thane District
• Ekant Agri Tourism Center – owner – Ruturaj Ingale – Kolhapur District
• Palmnest Retreat Agri Tourism Center – owner Harswardhan Nigade – Kolhapur District
• Kaajva Forest Agri Tourism Center – owner Smt Sitadevi Pandit – Kolhapur District
• Riya Strawbery Agri Tourism Center – owner Ashok Kumbhar – Kolhapur  District
• Mahajan Wavar Agri Tourism Center – owner Pankaj Mahajan – Nagpur District
• Krushimitra Agri Tourism Center – owner Dinesh Thakare – Nagpur District
• Meghdoot Agri Tourism Center  – owner  Shekhar Baghele  – Nagpur District
• DM Farms Agri Toruism Center – owner  Bhavesh Damaniwala – Raigad District
• Krishnaji Farms Agri Tourism Center – owner Manoj Mankame- Raigad District 
• Mamacha Mala Agri Tourism Owner Digvijay Shivaji Mankar –Nashik District

There are many more Agri Tourism Centres success stories from each district of Maharashtra State.