Agri-Tourism Vision 2020

The Indian State of Maharashtra, India, recently unveiled its 10-year Agri-Tourism Vision 2020, according to TravelBizMonitor.com.

The main goal is to allow farmers to retain their farm and stay on the farm; that, in a speech at the Maharashtra State Agri & Rural Tourism Co-operation Federation (MART) national convention on Agri-Tourism, by managing director Pandurang Taware.

Other points in Vision 2010 include:

• Government should have a separate policy for Agri-Tourism. Financial institutions like public and private sector banks should support farmers by lending money to invest for farming.
• The primary objective of Agri-Tourism is to sell farm products produced by farmers and not the development of hospitality infrastructure.
• Tourism stake holders like tour operators and travel agents should support this segment (Agri-Tourism) by selling these destinations.
• Government should look after capacity building of farmers and promotion of Agri-Tourism, both domestically and internationally. Government of India should include Agri-Tourism in their marketing initiatives on the lines of promotion of other tourism segments.
• Basic infrastructure such as roads, drainage, toilet facilities, have to be maintained and developed at Agri-Tourism destinations.
• Income generates from Agri-Tourism has to be treated as agricultural income.

"The soul of India lies in villages", states Pradeep Kumar Jain, Minister of State for Rural Development, Government of India.

"Over 97 per cent of the city crowd were ready to travel over 300 km to experience the rustic beauty of village life,” said Taware, in a report by The Punekar.