A 10-acre land in Kasaragod, converted into a flourishing farm by a family by adopting Responsible Tourism tenets, is garnering tourists’ attention these days.
Named Pathayapuram, the farm in Madikai panchayat sports over 300 wild trees, mostly native and fruit-bearing. There is a mini forest, spread over an acre of land; a large area for paddy cultivation where varieties of paddy are grown; and on the bunds there is pineapple farming to prevent soil erosion.
Pond to swim in
For those with an affinity for animals, the farm has cows, goats, chickens, ducks, fish, and birds. There is also a huge pond in which visitors can swim for hours together. A small bamboo hut amidst the mini forest is a perfect place for them to relax.
K.K. Vijayan, a native of Ezhome in Kannur district, and his family bought the land in 2014. The site had mostly rubber trees, which were soon replaced by coconut, arecanut and fruit-bearing trees such as mango, chikku, and rambutan. Hailing from agrarian backgrounds, farming came naturally to Mr. Vijayan and his wife Prasanna. All their food needs are met from the farm. While both their daughters away, the couple spend most of their time on the farm. There are 10 workers to help them.
Training session
“Farming brings us joy. We want others too to enjoy the farm and get involved in its activities,” he said. So, when the Tourism department announced a training to make people realise the importance of farm tourism, the whole family attended the session. It turned out to be an eye-opener. The farm was opened to others and tourists flocked in.
Mr. Vijayan is in the process of getting a homestay licence, which will allow tourists to stay at the farm. They are also starting a unit to make value-added products from the farm.
K. Rupesh Kumar, coordinator of Responsible Tourism, said they had trained 954 people online during the COVID-19 period. “Farm tourism intends to create a link between tourism and farm. The farmers will get extra revenue and the tourists will have an opportunity to closely work with the farmers and enjoy the process,” he added.
