Negros agri-tourism booms in 2009
The year 2009 has witnessed a big boost in agri-tourism with the highest number of agri-tourists to Negros Occidental recorded so far, Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan said.
A total of 78 agri-tours to various organic farms were coordinated by the Farmers Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) Negros Occidental, accounting for 1,027 visitors including farmers, students, academicians, local officials, and entrepreneurs listed in the OPA FITS logbook.
The influx of agritourists grows year by year and it is apparent that they cut a significant slice in the tourism pie. Agri-tourism is one industry that could rake in big revenues to the province, Tabianan added.
The figure, however, does not reflect the total number of tourists coming into the province, as some tourists go straight to the farms without seeking the assistance of OPA FITS, said Edna Garde, OPA FITS Manager. Garde, who is also OPA’s public information officer and official tour guide, said that of the 1,027 agri-tourists recorded last year, more than half or 521 came from Panay Island in Region 6.
Organic farming initiatives in Negros have become popular since a memorandum of agreement was signed between governors Joseph Marañon of Negros Occidental and George Arnaiz of Negros Oriental in 2005. The partnership has been geared toward sustainable agriculture and rural development while seeking to make Negros Island the“Organic Food Basket of Asia”. (WESVARRDEC).
