One wonders how many kids in the metros and urban agglomerates would have seen a poultry farm or a dairy farm or an agricultural farm which are all rural phenomena far away from the cities where they are born and brought up. Some have family ties to relatives in their native places and make visits once an year or two getting exposed to some aspects of rural living. Vacations are invariably associated with visits to scenic places, wild life sanctuaries, historical places, religious locations, trekking adventures etc and tourism peaks during the summer holidays when families can go together for relaxation and enjoyment. But farm tourism has never been heard in India and it is assumed that the urban elites would not be comfortable, safe or immune from infectious diseases in a rural environment.
In Europe there is still some sort of linkage with rural back yards and farm tourism is an accepted practice. But in the US only form of rural link is through day time visits to orchards, farms, poultry farms, cattle ranches where one can experience the thrill of plucking a fruit, picking a vegetable or milking a goat."In a world where small farmers need to diversify to keep their fields afloat and city dwellers are more desperate than ever to learn where their food comes from, a "haycation" for about the price of a nice hotel room in Manhattan didn't seem like such a far-fetched idea". People in that country are getting tuned to a different type of tourism where a whole family can go and stay with a rural family, enjoying their hospitality, learning about their daily routines, dynamics of farm operations and above all feel the serene tranquility that pervades rural areas. Of course all these for a stiff price which can put off many families, especially during current times of economic distress. But there will be sufficient takers with plenty of cash to spare that will help the hard pressed rural families.
Probably India is ripe for development of farm food tourism on similar lines to tourism linked to snow, rains, boating, etc and an helpful and proactive policy by the governments in the states can give a fillip to such programs. What is needed is a guarantee that tourists will be safe and the farm environment is hygienic. Imagine the potential for such a project in India which literally lives in diversity offering a wide panorama choices to the urban families. A few days' stay in a farm can rejuvenate the stressed out families from the towns and cities, besides educating them about the existence of a vibrant India which really thrives in the rural backyards of the country with distinct cultures and traditions.
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment