Agri Tourism - Chance to get back to Roots

Try agri-tourism for the out-of-the-box experience.

Where you can actually hear your own breathing and listen to birdsong…

This is one of the fasted growing tourism activities. Indians and International visitors are very interested in the history of the India, since most of the people come from an agricultural ancestry, they want to learn more about what their great grand parents or grandparents did for a living. This is great opportunity to get back to the rural roots. Come...Discover the true culture... Agriculture in rural India

Agri Tourism offers tourists’ edutainment farm tours in Malegaon Village, where they would be told about the cultivation of grapes, sugarcane, pomegranate, guava, mango, chikkoo, Custard apple, coconut , lime , banana and many more fruits plantation, guests can visit dairy farm ,milk collection centres , goat farm , emu( like ostrich bird) farm , or get an insight into how silk is produced and raw jaggery and sugar is made. It would also include evening entertainment Marathi programmes such as Bharud, Jagran Gondhal, Shekoti folk songs (all these are combinations of songs, drama, acting with music and dance) also play some of the forgotten rural games like gilli danda, gotya, bhavra, tourists can also go for the village sight seeing tour, speak to villagers, understand the working of grampanchayat, visit village school here talk to children know their quality of life, understand their expectation from urban friends.

Agri Tourism is however not all about staying in a village and relishing the food, this is an opportunity to be close to where the 75 % of Indians live. “One of the best things about staying on a farm is that guests can contribute to the place through their involvement,” Our idea is to make tourists live life like a villager, right from milking the cow, ploughing the field, bathing in a well to climbing a tree and plucking fruits,” says ATDC director (sales and marketing) Pandurang Taware.

Why Agri Tourism?

Mother Nature is open door school without brick walls! If observed carefully one can learn something or the other, moreover India is Agriculturist’s Country, it is expected that we should know the information related to agriculture.

Today urban children’s world has became limited in the closed door school, classes, cartoon programs on the television, video games, chocolates, soft drinks, spicy fast food, computer, internet, and so on , they see mother nature only on television screen,

Now it has become very necessary that children know the traditional way of agricultural farming activities, and other businesses dependant on agriculture.

Here children come very close to Mother Nature and learn many new things in life...

Children get to know first hand experience of the agricultural activity on the farm, they can freely roam in the 110 acres of agricultural farm, see and touch various different types fruits and domestic animals like cows, sheep, goats, emu birds, learn the milking process of the cows and goats, get an insight into how silk is produced and raw jaggery and sugar is made. Agri Tourism is the wonderful way to make students / children aware of the village life

Agri Tourism Offers:
Farm tours, farm-based Bed and Breakfast operations, farm vacations, seasonal festivals, and other forms of agri tourism are attracting growing numbers of local, regional and even international visitors.

Onsite Accommodation facilities and amenities

13 self content rooms with modest bedrooms, washrooms, toilets & bathrooms ,
Better quality bedding mattresses, pillow covers and linen.
Dinning facilities with genuine maharashtrian homely made food
Window screens and coverings.
Clothes storage and door locks.
Electricity Generator Back Up facility (limited hours).
On site Medical Help and Doctors on call, 24 hrs security personnel.
Dormitory accommodation hall for 200 people.

Agri Tourism on- site attractions /activities:

The Guests here are welcomed in traditional way with kumkum and garlands, and then invited to partake of an authentic breakfast made by local farmer

Fruit Plantations Tour, understanding the growth cycle pattern, Fruit Food Values etc.Tourists and kids will be told the information of the supply chain cycle from farmer to customer
Cow Farm Tour, Cow milking, visiting the talulka milk processing units near by getting insight of how milk, cow dunk by product are made, how beneficial are those products for human body?
Sheep and Goat Farm Tour, goat walking, milking
Silk Farming and producing with retail counter to buy silk cloth and silk sarees
Farm Equipment Museum
Medicinal Plantation Tour, understanding the uses of plants in day to day life.
Practical demonstration of various experiments on crops and fruits.
Various Modern methods of water irrigation demos.
Large nursery of mother saplings to help grow superior grade fruits trees. Here tourists can know about the different types of saplings.
Supply improved and processed sugarcane sets.
Irrigation water and soil analysis, fertilizers plants and animal feed & to guide the farmers accordingly.
Rural Games like (gilli danda) vittudandu, gotya, bhavra, bullocks cart and tractor rides.
Bee Hive Demo Farm
As an alternative to electricity the trust has installed solar, wind mill, bio gas, and other unconventional modes of energy generation.


Souvenir shop and Fruit Stall:

Here tourists can buy the small wooden bullock cart, mud articles, specialty pickles , Papads, Milk products, Jaggery , Sugar cane , Fruits , Food Grains ,
Village and rural theme paintings, plant saplings, silk cloth and sarees, and many more rural specialty products as souvenir gifts.


Agri Tourism Offsite attractions.

· Hon’ble Shri Sharad Pawarji’s Museum.
· Domestic Airport station and Strip.
· Nearby Village fairs and weekly bazaars.
· Educational Campuses of Agricultural Development Trusts and Vidya Prathistan.
· Winery Unit/ farms
· Sugar Factory and Jaggery making Units.
· Water Percolations Tanks
· Old Religious Temples on scenic locations
· Taluka Milk Collection Centre.
· Uajjani Dam Back Water Tour Observation with Flamingo Birds.
· Visit to Cow Dairy Farm, get insight how the By-Products from cow milk, cow dunk etc is made.
· Nearby Emu Bird (Australian Ostrich Bird) Farm.






What do some of our Guests Say?
1. “What I enjoy most here are the sounds of silence,” says a visitor and a faculty member of the department of computer sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. The break from the city, he says, helps him focus better on the week ahead.
2. Recently, a group of 14 Korean students visited the farm and carried home a slice of rural India. Says Gun Hee, who was part of the tour, “I loved the Indian food and learnt how silk was made. In Korea, farmers use machines but here, I saw the manual process.”
3. A group of 125 children who recently visited Baramati got a taste of farm life. Says Jaisinh Nimbalkar, senior executive in an MNC, who escorted them, “The children learnt about irrigation and were fascinated to see silk being made from the silkworm.

4. SPM School Pune Head Mistress says “this children picnic to Malegoan Agri Tourism has definitely brought about awareness among the children about life in rural India, which reflects the Indian traditions and culture so well”

5. Pune Shoppers Stop head says “visit to baramati agri tourism farm was real refreshing, our team of more than 200 staff members got the glimpses of rural life, everybody was so fascinated to swim in the well, and dance to the tune of rural folk songs and music.”

6. Abs Fitness Pune founder says “the staff and people of the agri tourism baramati are good hosts, the rural authentic lunch served was so delicious that we had to take the afternoon nap under the mango tree, the farm tour was so educative that most of things we eat in everyday life, were not known how it was produced in the agricultural farms.”

7. Times of India wrote “WOW What a Trip! Its more than a field trip, this farm tours offer children the complete rural experience.” Dated 2nd Feb 2006

8. Sakal Madhurangan ladies group leader says “ it was very different kind of picnic, every women had forgotten their age and become small kids to get close to nature , while returning they definitely stored and remembered the greenery , rural beautiful scenery , pure air, wet mud fragrance in their mind”

9.Mrs. Swati Sawarkar: Phone 25433057 – Traditional welcome is so touching, serving meals in chikku or guava plantation is very good idea, person tends to eat more and why not? The simple maharashtrian food was so delicious. The Entire Agri Tourism Farm area is beyond my dream heaven. Staff is very polite and helpful, silk processing, bulk cart ride, tractor rides, cow milking experience was ever lasting memories, weekly bazaar of the village was very good and colorful.

10.Mrs. Swati Phadatre: Kothrud, Pune 9822669738 – Traditional Welcome idea is very good, we never thought, on the picnic day, somebody will put marigold garland and tikka, its feeling of importance, farm surroundings are full of greenery and very clean. Educational Campus, one should see the Museum of Hon’ble Shri Sharad Pawar in the lifetime. Eating Farm Fresh Fruits was so exciting, meals in the open air was just fantastic.

11. Mrs. Meenal Rane: Kothrud, Pune - Meals here are very delicious; “ kheer” was very yummy. Housekeeping should be improved, climate and weather is so pure and fresh, one do not feel tired even though there is so much to see and so much to do. I experienced the cycle ride after 30 years in my life; generally Baramati Agri Tourism Tour so very memorable and I will remember the experience throughout my life.

12. Mrs. Sushma Dhamapurkar: Pune 25462393 – The meals are delicious, the farm is very neat and clean, weather is very good, village life is full of joy and happiness is what I experienced in those 3 days, it was like getting so close to nature, very silent. Silk processing, milking experience.

13.Dr Girija Ursekar Pune 24337317: Meals and entire agri tourism farm is very good. My suggestion to the tour guides and organizers are that the there should proper planning of the tours, housekeeping, cleanliness, drinking water quality has to improved, since electricity load shedding is for 12 hrs, generators should be installed, the farm is good for 2 days picnic, there is so much to learn, today’s parents should take their children to visit this agri tourism farm.

14. Rajdeep. T. Jagadale Warje Pune – 25231146 – I liked the agri tourism summer camp so much. The silk cloth making process so nicely explained, the food so very delicious. The bullock cart, Horse, Tractor Rides was so memorable.

15. Sagar Kallur Pune: 2523 0214- I enjoyed the Agri Tourism Summer Camp, by fighting, playing, listening to my Walkman. The village games such as gilli danda so very exciting. The food was very nice; my room B-5 was very good.

16 Sakar Sawarkar: Kothrud Pune 25433057 – The food was excellent, The tea was outstanding, The bullock cart rides and horse rides, tractor rides were also enjoying. The museum was wroth visiting, village games were also enjoyable by all of us, the farm is very beautiful and I feel like coming in heaven.


17 .Hrishikesk Moholakar: Deccan Gymkhana Pune – On that day when we come to Baramati was very very beautiful, in that day we came in agri tourism summer camp, first we went to see silk worm factory “ resim” then we went to green house and we see beautiful fruits, flowers and plants, in the evening we went to drink fresh milk and tea on day 2 we went to see dairy, and we sit on tractor, bullock cart and horses, on third day we went to see ‘sharad pawar’ museum and saw his great college. Baramati is a great town done by sharad pawar, he is great man so I love him and I also love farmers.

18. Aishwary Vyas: Rambaug Colony Pune- I enjoyed the food and also liked visiting the museum at Baramati, the staff is very nice and helped us in many ways. They also taught us to play gilli danda, and to play marbles. I also liked the venue where the food is served .We also enjoyed eating exciting fruits like raw mango, amla, chikko, etc, would surely visit winter camp of agri tourism.

19. Deepa Kallur Pune: I liked the food and I also liked the weekly bazaar, Deepak kaka was very helpful. I like the trees and plantation here I want to come here whenever I get a holiday.

20. Aishwarya Burke Warje Pune: I enjoyed these 4 days summer camp with you very much. It was great fun. I learnt many new things from agriculture. Whatever knowledge about the plants you are giving others is a good idea. Everyone in agri tourism is kind
and helpful, these 4 days were very exciting and full of masti I will visit agri tourism I will come in winter camp again.

21. Ravati Taware St Helena’s School Pune VIII A: In these 4 days of Agri Tourism Summer Camp the knowledge of fruits and various trees, flowers, and other many new things, we obtained was very essential in our future life, first time I saw the silk cloth making process in the life, milking the cow was very exciting experience. I saw the farmers’ family from very close angle and started respecting them more. The village life is really more refreshing than city life, besides you get everything so fresh. I also enjoyed playing in wet clay mud and making clay toys, the entire summer camp was very helpful to me since some of the things I was seeing it first time.


22. Ojas Vyas Rambaug Colony Pune – This tour of 4 days was the most exciting tour I had attended .The food during these 4 days was very delicious thanks to the people in the farm, the plantation of guava, tamarind, chicko, mango, were also beautiful, the inconvenience of the 1st day could be substituted to the other 3 days. There should be a good source of the drinking water and electricity. The museum and college was worth seeing. The temples were also worth visiting.


23. Rohan Phadtare Kothrud Pune: I liked the summer camp very much; I want to come again in winter camp.

24. Sonal Kumbhare Kothrud Pune: It was just fantastic
Ajinkya Kalokhe, Balaji Nagar Pune: I love this summer camp because there are many trees, nursery. We played many village games like viti dandu, we also saw flamingo birds, peacocks, morning walk was so freshening, the silk cloth making, cow milking was exciting.

25 Stayajit Nimhan, Baner, Pune: I love this summer camp because there were many fruits; we played many games like vitti dandu, kabadi, climbing trees, milking cows. I liked the agri tourism camp very much.

26. Neha Kalokhe: Balaji Nagar, Pune: I liked this summer camp because there were many natural things, many trees were planted all around, surrounding was very clean. We played many village games, we also saw silk factory and milking cows, and goats etc, and peacocks and flamingos were very nice. It was really fantastic.

27. Paras Kulkarni, Pune: I liked the camp a lot since I got to see the village life from very close and food was very good.

28. Anish Khaire Pune: After coming to agri tourism camp I felt very good, just it was very fresh, played village games, milking and silk process was very educative, I want to come here again an again.

29. Animesh Deshmukh Pune: This is an eciting trip. I loved this camp because it has everything I want.

30. Dheyeya Sengupta Pune: this is very nice place; I liked silk factory, greenery, nursery, and the milking machine. It is a nice place. I liked all the games.

31. Parag Sheth & Surya Modi Pune: We got very much pleasure in the camp. Slightly improvement needed in the schedule of programme. Dinner was very testy due to prepared traditionally. Add more new events in the programme so that we will get more pleasure. Congratulation to all.

32. Rohan Arora: Flower Valley Wanworie Pune: I liked the summer camp very much. Along with fun, we learnt a lot too. Thumbs up to Agri Tourism.

33. Tariq Jude Dass: Wadgoan BK Pune: Very Best, never ever visited this kind camp before, liked it very much thanks to Agri Tourism Baramati.

34. Taral Chanchani; Dhayari Pune: I liked the summer camp the only problem was drinking water other wise the tour was excellent. I want to come for winter camp.

35. Anshu Dhaval Rambuag Colony Pune: We enjoyed many village games, I liked the farm very much, I saw cow, goats, silk worms etc.

36. Mrs. Shakuntala Bharadia: Dhanakwadi Pune: I liked the welcome, open air meals serving is very good idea, children enjoyed climbing the trees, cow farm, goat farm, and silk farm was very good, kids liked the milking process, and silk cloth making procedure. Tour guides have very good knowledge. Baramati Museum also very good. Overall, all was very good. But I have some suggestions like 1) for ladies there should be ladies guide. 2) If there is no electricity at night, there should be traditional lamplight. 3) Drinking water pots, Bathroom- Toilets to be cleaned regularly. For children, good teaching with practical to be done. 4) Separate facility to be provided to ladies. 5) All children to be involved in playing games. Only aged children call for play.

37. Mrs. Ruchi Soni, Dhankawadi, Pune: 1) the facilities were good. 2) We too enjoyed the summer camp plus, many games.

38. Mr. Parag G. Pendse, Akurdi, Pune: we got pleasure due to good ‘welcome’ done by team. Lunch facility was good. Nice information received about silk production. Overall all facilities provided were good.

39. Janhavai Natekar: Eden Garden Warje Pune: I liked the summer camp very much.

40. Pankhuri Juvekar Pune 30: we had lot of fun; I want to come for winter camp again.

41. Shantanu Sabade Sahakar Nagar Pune: we felt very happy when we worn the ‘ Malas’ at welcome spot. It fun to be here!

42. Sanika Dhabolkar Near Gandhi Lawns Kothrud Pune: we were very happy over here and enjoyed a lot the only problem was of lights.

43. Dr Sabade B.R. Sahakarnagar Pune: The summer camp should ideally of 2 days so that there will full of fun and tour will be exciting. Some basic facilities like tea in the early morning should be provided. There should older persons to tell stories, songs of Maharashtra. The more information on agriculture should be presented on cd, and if possible children should be allowed to work with farmers. Over all agri tourism concept is brilliant idea and every urban child should ideally visit this tour.

44. Chinmay Siddha: Gohkale Nagar Pune: The tour of the 4 days of agri tourism summer camp was very exciting, the food was very delicious, I thank for the people who would bring from their home, I loved the most was climbing the guava trees and also milking of cows, but there were some problems here, but it’s ok, I loved it very much, I salute Agri Tourism.

45. Mrs. Suvarna Sakhdev, Garware BAL Bhavan Pune: 14 students Garware BAL Bhavan pune participated in this Agri Tourism Summer Camp at Baramati, The Agri Tourism Summer was very useful for the urban children as kids enjoyed all those village games which are not available in the city. Such as Tractor and Bullock cart ride, plucking the tamarind from trees, playing with the goats, vitti dandu, marbles, bhavra etc was very good, children liked the traditional welcome. There should be some do and don’t rules in the farms, like do not pluck the flowers etc, not to use plastic material and so on, not to harm the nature.
Some more farm activities should have been taken for the children like grafting the plants, paint the trees, watering the farm, ploughing with the farmers, watering the trees, village culture from close angle by visiting the grampanchayat and school etc
Over all the agri tourism holiday idea is very good and surely all our children will remember this experience through out their life. Thank You, Agri Tourism Development Corporation Baramati.

46. Rashmi Shah, Atur Park Koregoan Park Pune: We enjoyed a lot out there, I also liked that when we went far for a night walk and pin drop silence, actually you can hear your breathe and bird singing, altogether its great experience.

47. Tanay Bhandare Pune 30: Agri Tourism Summer camp was very nice, I liked it very much whole lot of various experiences, we enjoyed the traditional maharashtrian folk dance and music in the evening, also tractor ride and bullock cart ride was good memory, plantation nursery was very informative, silk process and how the silk cloth is made is very nice. I will surely come all the camps here.

48. Abeer Munge; Neil Pezarker, Shom Pezarkar, Kalyani Nagar Pune: Bus traveling was very good, Room allotted was very good, Food was very good and delicious, Drama (traditional songs and music was very nice, we liked the agri tourism summer camp very much.

49. Sumedh Karnataki, Aundh Pune 7: I enjoyed the village games; I learnt various scientific facts of the fruits and trees, Improvements should be made in drinking water and lights, still the overall very good, every kid should come and see the farm its amazing.

50. Nitin Yadav, Near Jag tap Dairy Pune 27: I thoroughly enjoyed the agri tourism summer camp, it’s environment full of trees and amazing things were liked by me the village games we played, the small small creatures we saw, the places we visited were all very good, Great Enjoyment with lot of Education, keep up the good work agri tourism.

51. Ashish Darekar, Ghorpuri Pune 1: This agri Tourism summers was the best camp of my life, I really enjoyed the rides on the horse, tractor, bullock cart, it was too adventures, I also liked the night walk, here were some basic things needs improvement like drinking water and lights, rest of the things were all right, I have learnt much more here then the text book.

52. Vivek Subramanian Boat Club Road Pune –1: Over all ok experience, I would recommend this picnic spot an as –is – where –is basis, since we are here to enjoy rural village life, do not expect fancy things such as carpet in the rooms, basic things are in place, more over kids enjoys a lot here since they see some of things at very first time in their life, my recommendation is that involve kids into things like planting, sowing, watering the trees etc.

53. Mamta Ashok Athalye Pune: The concept of Agri Tourism is very good, the urban friends get to know the rural life, farming activity from very close angle, children came know the real meaning of ‘ hundadne’ “ roaming freely in the farms”, they enjoyed very much, some of practical work should be allowed for the kids, so they will learnt out experience. Show them the rural tradition by visiting some of the traditional homes.

54. Ramchandra .B. Chachad Age 72 Pune: Management of the Agri Tourism is very good and atmosphere is very nice for children and senior persons like me thanks for all. Children has really learnt our some of the basic operations regarding farming & got lot of information about the village life.

55. Rajavardhan Nalawade Pune: I enjoyed the camp very much l liked the emu birds, temples and going to farms. I liked to play Vitti Dandu and Marbles.

56. Anjan Patel: I liked the most the green environment of the agri tourism farm here.

57. Gayatri Abhay Chachad: I enjoyed the Agri Tourism Summer Camp very much.


Clearly, tourists opting to visit agro-tourism ventures are nature lovers, or those who get to see little of nature’s bounty in the concrete jungles of big cities.



Food for thought:
Population of India has increased five times than that existed in 1947, after partition the land got divided and subdivided per generation currently only one fourth of the land is available on an average per person as compared to year 1947.
Agriculture as a business is becoming more and more expensive and many farmers cannot afford it. Add to this the gradual loss of fertility of land that is giving diminishing yields. Unless and until the farmers start business of any form to compliment and support to their income from land, they shall be doomed to eke out a bare existence below poverty line.

In order to encourage farmers to establish small and viable business like Agri Tourism units on the farm in the villages, ATDC has formed guidance assistance committee to tender advice and technical know how.

75 to 85 % of Indian Population lives in rural villages.
On realizing their difficulties and needs we feel there is still many things than can be done for these people.
The ATDC has been concentrating its efforts all along for the overall upliftment of the farmers in rural villages.
90% of the rural community earns it’s livelihood from agriculture directly or indirectly.
To improve the standard of living of the rural people there is need to improve and increased the per capita income from farmers land. For this new approaches beyond traditional farming will have to implement in their farms. Agri tourism is one of them.
The rural youth particularly the school dropouts and educational backward neglected rural women constitute more than 50% of our rural population. Unless we undertake welfare activity for this section of the community social upliftment remains uncompleted.

The Agri Tourism Development Corporation Pune has always been diverting its efforts as per the changing needs of the section of the social fabric; the ATDC shall continue to do the same...

Agri Tourism Tour Price: The Farm Tour price is worked out very economical and hence every tourist who would like to experience this kind of Tourism activity can comfortably afford it. Further we request you to write to us or call us for more customized tour options and cost.

AGRI TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
National Sales Office: 1st Floor, Karnik Heritage,
Lane opp Barista Coffee
F.C. Road, Deccan Gymkhana, Pune – 411004
Tel: 020 – 2553 5599, 2553 9600, 2553 0643
www.agritourism.in, sales@agritourism.in