Story by Memory Chamisa
ZIMBABWE is advancing agro-tourism, which offers not only new development opportunities for the tourism sector, but also steers it towards a greener and more sustainable trajectory.
This comes as farming is now expected to take on a new meaning, as leisure and fun have been introduced to it under the agro-tourism banner.
Not only will farming be an all-year revenue-generating activity, but farmers and other investors in the new product are also expected to reap from their investment regularly, thereby boosting the economy and enriching the people.
The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Honourable Barbara Rwodzi, highlighted that this low-hanging fruit has been brought especially for rural communities.
“Agriculture and eco-tourism are two of the most promising sectors for sustainable development in Zimbabwe and Africa. The central philosophy is to use agriculture to promote eco-tourism, and vice versa. The integration of agriculture and tourism has enriched rural tourism development, creating a diverse range of rural tourism products and services. For example, new types of businesses have emerged, such as national agricultural parks, leisure farms, rural camps, rural museums, and rural homestays,” she said.
Agro-tourism is a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and processing with tourism to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch or other agricultural business for purposes of entertainment and education, while generating income for the owner.
Agro-tourism is expected to attract more people into the agriculture and tourism sectors, creating many allied products and services in line with the new philosophy of the brand.
Through agro-tourism, visitors can have hands-on experience, learn about where their food comes from, enjoy fresh farm produce, take part in recreational events like hunting, horse riding and hospitality services that include overnight stays, hence greater appreciation for agriculture and rural life.
