Agro-tourism
Agro-tourism refers to people visiting working farms or other agricultural operations for the purpose of enjoyment, education, or other active involvement. Agro-tourism encompasses a wide variety of activities and provides a means for farmers to diversify and supplement their income. Such activities may include wildlife study, horseback riding, cannery tours, cooking classes, wine tasting, harvest festivals, barn dances, farm stays, guided tours, and petting zoos.
While many visitors will engage in agro-tourism for short periods of time, such as an afternoon of berry picking, others remain for days and, in some cases, work on the farm. Diversifying income is an important risk management strategy and organic farmers want to learn more about successful agro-tourism ventures. They also need a better understanding of risks and potential liabilities of having visitors on the farm.
Currently, research in agro-tourism is virtually non-existent. Most agro-tourism organizations focus on promoting and encouraging tourism rather than research.
Links
Institutions
- FAO.org/OrganicAG: Institutions that undertake research relevant to the topic of agro-tourism in the ORCA database at FAO's organic farming pages