For the residents of Kodenchery, an upland village towards the northeast part of Kozhikode, the Malabar River Festival, scheduled to be held from August 12 to 14, is not just a tourism event, but a ticket to the future.
For this village of farmers, who migrated from the southern districts of the State, placing itself in the tourism map of Kerala has become an existential necessity, especially with reverse migration.
“The decline of agriculture as a major form of livelihood has become tangible. If we have to retain this sector, the only way is to link it with tourism. We can offer unique farm experiences to the tourists through careful planning,” Alex Thomas, president of Kodenchery grama panchayat, told The Hindu.
