...the Asian farm tourism leader

PHL set to lead Asia in farm tourism

Gelyka Ruth R. Dumaraos
Busines Mirror
06 October 2019

The Philippines has all it takes to be the leading country as far as farm tourism is concerned, former Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary and International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) Chairman Dr. Mina T. Gabor said.

ISST encourages farm tourism enthusiasts to learn more about best practices and techniques on farming.

To prove just that, the country is set to welcome local and international delegates to ISST’s sixth Philippine Farm Tourism Conference 2019 from November 6 to 8 in Cebu.

ISST looks into welcoming over a thousand delegates in the conference compared to 2017’s 500 participants, which consists of farmers and cooperatives, farm tourism operators, landowners, government officers, entrepreneurs and sustainable agriculture enthusiasts.

With this global summit, Gabor eyes to anchor farm tourism in the Philippines as globally competitive and future-ready with discussions on adaptation of agriculture sector in climate change, aquaculture, urban farming and product-focused discussions.

With the theme “Building Community Relationship for Sustainable Development through Farm Tourism,” the conference aims to learn and share the best practices done by experts in farm tourism industry, as well as fighting for food security.

Starting young

With the abundance of emerging farm tourism sites across the country,  Gabor said that more enthusiasts are encouraged to put up their own, most especially the younger generation.

“It’s really the craze,” Gabor said, saying it is a symbol of a brighter farming in the Philippines. “Since we operated in 2012, from that time on up to now, it’s a quantum leap.”

She added that the future of farming is bright with their creativity and new ideas that are disrupting current trends. “They’re bringing in new innovations, and that’s what’s making it exciting. That’s why I believe we can be the next farm capital in Asia.”

Urban farming

One of the current trends ISST is looking into is urban farming in partnership with various local government agencies in Metro Manila, starting with Parañaque City. As a way of community-building, urban farming paves the way for people to make use of vacant lots as small farms.

Recently, ISST tied up with Bokashi Pinoy, a start-up company introducing bokashi-making among livelihoods.

Bokashi is a way of turning food wastes, such as meat and dairy, into a soil amendment through fermentation. It serves as a soil-builder and a source of nutrients for plants.

ISST believes that through this, kitchen wastes in urban areas can be addressed. It can also be another source of livelihood for those who want to sell their own bokashi.

Challenges

While DOT focuses on farm tourism,  Gabor acknowledges the challenges that come with it, most especially climate change. “When there is climate change, the first that will be affected will be the farm,” she said. “But it is also the farm which can mitigate it.”

For one, she considers as a big challenge is water, what with the coming El Niño season. She said, “We are working closely now with a team of climate specialist. We might bring in this subject so that we can prepare and educate our farmers on interventions for water shortage.”

In addition,  Gabor considers the soil another challenge in urban farming. She said it is imperative that farmers are well educated on the importance of proper nourishment for their soil to yield best results for their produce.

Last,  Gabor sees that infrastructure should be considered to boost farm tourism in the country.  She hopes that with the support of the government, roads leading to farms even in remote areas can be accessed easily, bringing in more potentials tourists for the area.

With the pressure that comes with start-up farms, some farm tourism sites come with premature opening to the public. Noting that some farms which are focused more on their landscapes, looking into tourists’ welfare, such as having PWD-friendly pathways, and comfortable comfort rooms are not yet a priority.  Gabor said that this includes continues training for local guides. For their part, ISST is continuously offers lectures, such as farm guiding, marketing and financing, eco guiding and tourism master planning for farm tourism enthusiasts.