Agritourism: A Leap Towards Sustainable Tourism
At the inception of agritourism was the notion of coexistence with nature. While the term was coined much later, the practice can be dated back to the early 1900s in the US. With the rise of industrialism rose the greater need of being one with nature. Ever since, men have found their way to the farms and ranches, to experience an alternate lifestyle.
Over half a century later, in Italy, a pro-agritourism bill, known as the agriturismo law, was passed to regulate and promote the region’s farm stays. The idea spread rapidly across Europe, resulting in more job opportunities within rural communities.
Closer home, the picture was different.
Post partition disillusionment and the dire condition of the national economy, propelled the people of our country to turn towards industrial growth that could fuel infrastructural development. The history of agritourism in India is hence, very layered. Since we are primordially an agro-rich country, the concept of promoting sustainable tourism occurred to us much later.
In 2005, the State Government of Maharashtra took a step towards sustainable tourism, converting acres of land in Pune into farmstays. Within the next two years, more agritourism centers sprung up in an effort to conserve the culture and traditions of these indigenous farming communities.
Coming back to the terminology, agritourism is a means of promoting the lifestyle and cultural diversity of the farming communities from developing areas of the country. It capitalises rural customs and traditions by turning agriculturally rich lands into tourist hubs. At the core of agritourism is the idea of socially responsible tourism.
Perceiving agritourism as a doorway to sustainable tourism, offers a robust, two-pronged solution to the problem of cultural erosion. The first is by ensuring a steady flow of urban capital by means of tourism to help the communities grow. Secondly, by conserving cultural capital by preserving knowledge within the communities — leveraging this knowledge and experience can also be profitable economically.
The symbiotic relationship between the two plays a significant role in propelling economic growth in developing nations like ours.
India’s share in the global tourism market stands at 0.38%. Since the highest turnover is from domestic tourism, it has become an imperative to diversify development processes, by being inclusive of eco-adventure sports, public participation in traditional events, and most importantly creating awareness about the numerous cultures thriving within the populace.
Organic farming & the future of Agritourism
Agritourism is also a harbinger of organic living.
Take for instance Sikkim. Soreng in West Sikkim offers a blueprint of change today, as it produces the largest amount of pesticide-free fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Their initiative may sound radical, but today the whole state thrives on agriculture and tourism for their livelihood. The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, gives merit to Sikkim for being a model state for other states. Kerala and Meghalaya are to follow suit in their own attempt to be all-organic, not to mention the kingdom of Bhutan that hopes to achieve their goal by 2020.
Sikkim’s agritourism culture has ensured a staggering rise in the percentage of footfall in the state. In 2017, the state witnessed 14.25 lakh tourists. This year, the Sikkim government has set a goal of receiving over 20 lakh global tourists. The number of eco-tours and farm vacations have risen, creating employment among the youth. Today, tourism contributes to over 8% of the state’s GDP and is likely to go up further in the coming years.
However, the question of self-sufficiency plagues men till date. As agritourism gains momentum, we can gradually shift to a more self-sufficient, organic model of existence. Sikkim has shown us that a switch to organic living can be the pulse of agritourism.
Organic living has always been a medium to create a more meaningful connect between man and nature. Today when we talk about sustainable practices to curb ecological problems, an organic approach is the first step towards it. Sikkim, acclaimed to be the greenest state in India, has consistently proved that.
If we are to adopt sustainable tourism, it is important that we not only promote agritourism but also organic living along with it.
Hopefully, with enough time, we will all get there.
This story has been written in association with Balipara Foundation. The organization’s efforts are directed towards the ecological conservation and restoration of the Eastern Himalayas.
