Priyanka Gandhi urges government to promote farm stay tourism

Congress’ Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has called on government agencies to actively promote farm stay tourism as a means to reconnect urban children with nature and provide additional income opportunities for farmers.

Taking to social media on 9 October, Thursday, Gandhi Vadra shared her own trip to Carmel Agro Farm in Kozhikode and said, “So many children are growing up in urban environments, completely disconnected from nature. It would greatly benefit schools to send their students for farm stay experiences.”

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A post shared by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhivadra)

Her remarks accompanied a video of her interaction with representatives of farm tourism and homestays at the Carmel Agro Farm in Anakkampoyil, a village near Thiruvambady in Kerala’s Kozhikode district. During the meeting, she emphasised that farm stay tourism needs “proper encouragement and promotion from the government”.

Sharing details of the interaction, the Congress leader said, “This meeting with 27 enterprising farmers, who have come together to start a farm stay initiative, was a joy! It was held at a farm owned by a wonderful couple, Elsie and Dominique.”

Praising the hosts, she wrote, “Elsie is a font of knowledge on different plants, their uses and cultivation. I told her she is super lucky because she never has to buy anything absolutely everything you can think of grows on her farm.”

Describing the diversity of the farmers’ produce, Priyanka added that each of the 27 participants cultivates something unique, ranging from coffee, spices and tropical fruits to fisheries and livestock.

“One gentleman even keeps tarantulas,” she noted with amusement.

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Highlighting the broader potential of such initiatives, she said farm stays could serve as a valuable learning experience for both children and adults.

“Even for adults, this is an intriguing and fun way to learn about and experience farming. At the same time, it would provide a new avenue of income for many small farmers, who could do with support,” she said.

Priyanka’s appeal for farm stay promotion came a day after she raised concerns over the Centre’s refusal to waive the loans of farmers affected by the devastating Wayanad landslides of 2024.

In a post on 8 October, Wednesday, she said, “The Central government’s refusal to waive the loans of those affected by the devastating Wayanad landslides of 2024 is shocking especially while the loans of certain large business houses are waived without hesitation. These loans represent the lives of people who have endured unimaginable pain for no fault of theirs.”

Referring to a Kerala High Court observation, she added, “The Kerala High Court has said that when people have most needed help, the Union government has failed them. I couldn’t agree more.”

Through her recent posts, the Congress MP has sought to draw attention to both the need for rural livelihood support and the importance of nature-linked tourism as a tool for sustainable development in Wayanad and beyond.

Meanwhile, a recent NCRB report has noted a rate of one farmer suicide each day in India, further underscoring the governance failure when it comes to support for agricultural livelihoods across India.

With IANS Inputs

NCRB report 2023 indicates one farmer suicide in India every day