To give Maharashtra’s agri-tourism sector a more professional, skill-oriented and sustainable framework, the Maharashtra Tourism Department, and Agri Tourism Development Company Pvt. Ltd. (Agri Tourism India), led by agri-tourism expert Pandurang Taware, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The partnership will focus on strengthening training, skill development, guidance and capacity-building initiatives for farmers, rural youth, women, agri-tourism entrepreneurs and other stakeholders associated with the tourism sector across the state.
As part of the initiative, the Baramati Agri & Rural Tourism Training Center at Palshiwadi, Baramati, is proposed to be developed as a state-level centre for agri-tourism training, research, capacity building and knowledge exchange.
The centre is expected to offer farmers training in areas such as agri-tourism management, hospitality services, food and rural cuisine, tourist safety, hygiene, digital marketing, online booking, business planning and sustainable tourism.
The training centre is equipped with classrooms, a conference room, a library, a demonstration guest room, a rural kitchen, a demonstration farm, an orchard, a vegetable garden, a livestock section, a nature trail, an information and interpretation centre, a shop showcasing local products, and accommodation facilities for trainees.
The training programme will comprise 30 percent classroom instruction, 40 percent practical training, 20 percent field visits, and 10 percent business planning. Participants will receive training in areas such as agri-tourism management, hospitality services, tourist safety, digital marketing, and sustainable tourism.
The Department of Tourism will provide strategic guidance and institutional support, while Agri Tourism Development Company Pvt. Ltd. will be responsible for organising the training programmes, facilitating the participation of subject-matter experts, and conducting practical training sessions. The initiative is expected to create additional sources of income for farmers while promoting rural employment, empowering women, creating market opportunities for local products, and fostering the growth of sustainable agri-tourism.
Speaking about the initiative, Vikas Pansare (IAS), Director, Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, said, “Agri-tourism has an important role to play in Maharashtra’s rural economy. By connecting local culture, food traditions, rural lifestyles, and natural resources associated with agriculture with tourism, we can create additional income opportunities for farmers. Through this MoU, the focus will be on developing the skills, training, and professional approach required to grow the agri-tourism sector. The central principle of this initiative will be to develop agri-tourism as a complementary activity to agriculture, following the approach of ‘Farm First – Tourism Next.’
The initiative will also focus on creating skilled human resources through training, enabling rural youth and women to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities in agri-tourism, improving service and safety standards at agri-tourism centres, and promoting the effective use of digital platforms.
The proposed centre will focus on farmer skill development, entrepreneurship development, hospitality training, agri-tourism product development, digital transformation, women and youth entrepreneurship, and sustainable tourism.