Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo Sunday stated that convergence of agriculture with tourism has a vast potential for generating a reliable source of secondary income.
He said this while addressing a Consultative Workshop on Agro-Tourism at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office here Sunday.
The workshop was organised by the Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment.
The workshop brought to gether enthusiastic agricul tural landowners, progressive farmers, policy makers, and do main experts to explore the im mense potential of Agro-Tour ism as a catalyst for rural eco nomic transformation.
Also Read: PM Modi’s motorcade makes way for ambulance in Bhubaneswar
The workshop was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also holds the portfolio of Tourism, Father of Agri-Tourism Concept, Pandurang Taware, pioneer of Agro-Tourism, Jayram HR and other dignitaries.
Their views highlighted the vast potential of converging agriculture with tourism to promote supplementary income generation, rural pride, and sustainable enterprise models across Odisha.
During his address, Singh Deo said, “As someone who has worked as a farmer, I truly believe in the potential of organic farming. With the right knowledge and support, farmers can make the most of the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY) guidelines and explore Agro-Tourism as a reliable source of secondary income.”
Similarly, Parida said, “It’s heart-warming to see the youth reconnecting with their roots, celebrating our farm-fresh cuisine, our rural way of life.
We need to leverage Odisha’s agrarian heritage to build immersive tourism experiences that celebrate the land, people, and culture of the state.
The workshop highlighted the state’s focused efforts under ‘Vision 2036’ framework, wherein 15 priority destinations have been identified for integrated development.
Officials from Tourism de partment presented a roadmap for integrating Agro-Tourism into Odisha’s wider tourism circuit, while experts from Maharashtra and other leading states shared case studies and success models.
The workshop concluded with an interactive session, where participants shared ideas and committed to piloting projects in select districts of the state.
PNN
