EEI, Hyderabad Organised Webinar on “Agro Tourism For Extension Professionals” on 12th September, 2022

EEI, Hyderabad as a part of its annual technical programme and for the benefit of Society of Extension Professionals (SEP) and general public organized 9th webinar on " Agro Tourism for Extension Professionals” on 12th September, 2022 from 10:30 AM. The programme is live streamed in Youtube. The webinar was delivered by 3 experts well versed in the domain of Agro Tourism they are: 1. Shri Pandurang Taware Father of Agri. Tourism Concept, India. Managing Director Agri. Tourism Development company Pvt. Ltd, Pune, Maharastra
2. Dr. P.P.Sahu Associate Professor, NIRDPR, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
3. Shri M.Kishore Founder and Director, SIDS Farm, Hyderabad

Dr. V. Sudha Rani Director of Extension, PJTSAU, Hyderabad , Scientists and students from different Universities, academicians, EEI faculty and members of Society of Extension professionals, officers from client states and other parts of the country took part in the webinar. 58 participants took part in the webinar actively. Dr. P. Vijayalakshmi, Professor, EEI, member, SEP invited all the delegates to the webinar by extending a warm welcome to the august gathering. Dr. M. JaganMohanReddy, Director, EEI and General secretary, SEP in his introductory remarks enlightened the participants on activities and importance of SEP in building the capacities of extension functionaries. He explained the audience about importance of Agro tourism. He said that Agritourism not only gives producers an opportunity to generate additional income and an avenue for direct marketing to consumers but also acts as platform for amusement, recreation and learning. Dr. P. Vijayalakshmi, Professor introduced the speakers by highlighting the untiring works done by the experts for the benefit of general public in the form of new innovations in Agrotourism and strategies adopted to overcome the challenges successfully. Addressing the August gathering, Dr. P.P. sahu, speaker said that Agrotourism is a very important emerging need as traditional economic and cultural systems are under threat. He opined that there should be inbuilt mechanism for including not only innovative activities but also problem redressal mechanism while planning Agrotourism unit. He indicated that project will sustain only if enabling environment is present in the location. 2nd speaker, Shri M.Kishore Founder and Director, SIDS Farm, Hyderabad, explained the mechanism and activities taken up in SIDDs dairy tourism farm at Shahbad. He said that entertainment and learning activities like tractor ride, milking cows, teaching students on testing adulteration in milk etc were taken up in his farm. Answering to the query from Dr Satish. S whether Agrotoursim can be taken up in the absence of land, replied that small space is required to launch activities such as star gauzing, palnting paddy, maize etc in small area, rearing ducks and chicks etc. Shri Pandurang Taware, Father of Agri. Tourism Concept, India. Managing Director Agri. Tourism Development company Pvt. Ltd, Pune, Maharastra speaking on the occasion said that starting from Baramati, there are over 1000 farms associated with the Agri Tourism network spread across 32 districts in Maharashtra today. When it comes to revenue generated, although it differs from district to district and region to region. Taware says that the average increase in the income is not less than 30% in any farm. In Western Maharashtra, farm income has doubled due to Tourism. In districts Solapur, Latur, Beed, etc. the increase is 40 to 45%,” he says. Governments cannot give jobs to every farmer’s son or daughter. But with Tourism they need not to migrate to cities for jobs. They can find income by remaining in the farm. With tourists buying the farm products directly, farmers get good prices reducing the dependence on middle men, he added. He resolved many queries raised by audience effectively. The Panel discussion came to an end by formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr. R. Vasantha, Professor, EEI.