Capitol Pushes for Agri Tourism, Seen to Augment Income for Farmers

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Cebu on Tuesday, Aug. 28, approved the move to make agricultural tourism as part of the Cebu Provincial Government’s leading industry, seen to promote a fresh farmer product that will generate additional income for the agricultural sector.

Farm tourism, the growing subsector of tourism industry, will be included soon in the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO)’s long line of tourism journey for Cebu.

Provincial Tourism Officer Joselito “Boboi” Costas explained that farm tourism is the business of attracting visitors to farm areas initially for educational and recreational purposes.

Aside from learning, Costas said the tour will encourage economic activities that can provide income for both the farm and community.

Although farm tourism is new in Cebu, Costas said that some practitioners (farmers-turned-farm-tourism operators) shared that there is attractive earnings in this new tourism venture that surpasses the usual mark in their harvest.

Significant developments for farm tourism are already in place in some areas in the towns of Alegria and Dalaguete, Costas said.

Farm-tourism sites or farm camps can also help promote products of the area, especially those produced and manufactured by the local rural industries.

Image source: www.cebu.gov.ph

President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III has signed Republic Act 10816, or the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016, which mandates the creation of a Farm Tourism Development Board that will be tasked to formulate plans and programs for the development and promotion of farm tourism in the country.

The board also sets the overall direction for the implementation of the Farm Tourism Strategic Action Plan.

Cebu Island has a total land area of 4,400 square kilometers, with 1,203 barangays with agricultural products that ranges from coconut, vegetables, corn, sugarcane, nipa palms, fruits and root crops.

Agricultural development is one of the priorities, under the Six-Key Development Agenda, of the administration of Gov. Hilario P. Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes A. Magpale. The Six-Key Development Agenda are health and social services; countryside development; education and technical vocational training; environmental protection, climate change and disaster risk management; infrastructure development, tourism and investment promotion; and law and order. (Cebu Provincial Gov’t)