Karpe’s Wadi In Maharashtra Heralds Into Agro-Tourism

Shilpa Shet - Karpe’s Wadi

At Karpe’s Wadi, located in the Konkan belt of Maharashtra, agro-tourism has caught the rage of the farmer’s fantasy. Especially, since it seems to be a low cost, high returns and glamourous option for most farmers, who have surplus lands and do not know what to do with it. Shekhar Karpe is the man who started it all with his pilot project at his farm in Nagaon beach, close to Alibaug.

Karpe’s Wadi is a small farm, which grows fruits, vegetables using all organic methods and breeds poultry. It has been developed by Shekhar Karpe over the last year. Says Karpe, “The investment was literally nothing. All I had to do is convert few of the outhouses into comfortable living places and my farm was ready for tourists. I provide them with living facilities that are hygienic, coupled with authentic regional cuisine and for this the investment is not too much.”

Karpe’s Wadi, also organises day site-seeing tours to places such as Murud, Kashid, Revdanda and Diveghar beaches of Maharashtra, which provides a window to the real flavour of the Konkan hospitality and the coastline. Dr Thomas Vivan, training coordinator of the agriclinics and agribusiness course at the College of Agriculture in Pune says, “Shekhar was our student and we see agro-tourism being picked up by other farmers in a big way. A couple of our other agricultural graduates are also in the process of converting their farms for agro-tourism.”

Vivan further adds that, “Agro-tourism is a concept where part of your farm or a field can be used for tourism. You need the vision to convert your farm into a tourist place. Countries like Cyprus, Thailand, Armenia, Malaysia have tried and exploited this for many years.

Involving tourists in the unique rural activities like drawing water from the well, milking the cow, venturing into cart-rides, visiting tree houses etc are part of the agro-tourism concept and can also work as effective stress busters for the urban tourist.

Adds Vivan, “Banks are also ready to fund projects that are sound, completely foolproof and enterprising.” Agro-tourism can indeed work out as a potential tourism business. Sula Wines in the Nashik District of Maharashtra has also promoted their land as a wine region, which is also a stop over destination on the itinerary of the Deccan Odyssey, Maharashtra tourism’s luxury train venture.