Agriculture Tourism in India

Agriculture Tourism in India – India is a land of diverse climates, culture, tradition and agricultural practices. In India, agriculture plays major role in economy and considered as the backbone of economy. Tourism is one of the World’s  largest and fastest growing industry among all industries. However one of the latest concept is: agritourism, which revolutionize the Indian travel industry. The International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group (IMRAC Group) finds that, “The Indian agritourism market is expected to exhibit a growth rate (CAGR) of 19.9% between 2023 and 2028.

The Agriculture Tourism in India were planted by the Agri Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), and is operational since 2004. Shri Pandurang Taware is well known, as the Father of this Agri-tourism industy.  Agritourism is a unique way to explore and get to know about the roots of a country’s rural and cultural heritage.

1. What is Agricultural tourism?

Agriculture and tourism is a new concept in tourism sector which involves in developing the farm into vacation venture . As the name suggests, agritourism merges agriculture and tourism. It is a popular form of tourism which combines the rural and agricultural factors and activities with leisure and travel.

2. Different activities in agriculture tourism

Agritourism encompasses a wide range of activities like farm visits, village walk, direct marketing, participating in events and festivals, recreational activities like- fishing, fruits plucking, pottery making, boating, and so on. Agritourism is a pleasant remedy to this modern world to experience the village lifestyle, food, culture, tradition and so on. These activities are stated as under:

Agriculture Tourism in India

• Farm visits: Going to a farm to see animals, crops, and how they’re grown.
• Village walk: Taking a stroll through a village to see its houses, streets, and meet local peoples.
• Direct marketing: Buying products directly from farmers, like fruits or vegetables, without a middleman.
• Participating in events and festivals: Joining celebrations or gatherings held in rural areas.

Recreational activities

• Fishing: Trying to catch fish using a fishing rod.
• Fruit plucking: Picking fruits from trees.
• Pottery making: Creating pots or other objects from clay.
• Boating: Riding in a small boat on a lake or river.

3. How agriculture tourism helps in preserving cultural heritage?

 Agriculture tourism plays vital role in preserving cultural heritage in different ways like:

• Reviving traditional culture and art: Rural tourism promotes traditional art, culture, craft, food while creating opportunities for the rural producers to sell their products to tourists.


• Engaging with Rural communities: Agritourism allows to meet villagers whether staying at resort or homestay, join their festivals, experiencing and understanding their culture.


• Feel local cuisine: Agritourism allows visitors to taste authentic local cuisine from spicy curries to savory snacks. Agritourism contributes to the preservation of traditional village recepies, culinary practices and agricultural landscapes.


• Promoting educational opportunities: Agritourism serves as a educational tool to school groups, university students, researchers to learn about agriculture, farming  and sustainable development. The visitors can also visit firms to know about innovative farming technique, how crops are grown, the lifestyle of villagers and their culture.


• Creating job opportunities: Agritourism creates job opportunities by allowing villagers to play roles in hospitality, selling handcrafts such as pottery, traditional artwork to tourists and stimulating local economies while empowering rural communities.

4. Scope of agriculture tourism

• Improving sustainability: Agritourism aims at providing sustainable livelihood to the rural communities as a source of income irrespective of seasonal influence.

• Promotes rural culture: Agri tourism plays vital role in promoting rural culture by sharing their culture and tradition with tourists.

• Plays significant role in rural development:  Agritourism plays a significant role in rural development by supporting local economies. It provides farmers with a supplemental income, boosts employment in rural areas.

Overall, agritourism serves as a bridge between past and present, fostering appreciation for cultural heritage while supporting the livelihoods of those who uphold it.