PRT 2008
AGRICULTURE AND MAN
(AGROTOURISM)
LECTURE NAME: Dr. MOHAMAD ZAKARIA HUSSIN.
GROUP: 26
GROUP MEMBERS:
1. NURUL ASSIKIN BINTI ARIFFIN 152028
2. NORHASYIMAH BINTI ISMAIL152306
3. SITI KHODIJAH BT YUSUF 154788
4. HASNANI BT ABD RAHMAN@ABD WAHAB 152688
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CONTENTS
TOPICS PAGE
1) RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 2
2) DEFINITION OF AGROTOURISM 3
3) HISTORY OF AGROTOURISM 4
4) AGROTOURISM TODAY 5
5) CONCLUSION 12
6) APENDIX 13
7) REFERENCES 14
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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Our group has been given a task to do a research about topic of Agrotourism.
During the discussion among ourselves, we agree and made up our mind to state our
research objectives are as below:
1. To find out what is the meaning of agrotourism.
2. To find out the history of agrotourism.
3. To find out the advantages of the agrotourism to the human and country.
4. To know the agrotourism field.
Based on the above objectives, we try to explore the world of agrotourism by
looking at all of the possibility that include in the agrotourism field.
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DEFINITION OF AGROTOURISM
Agrotourism has several definitions, but mostly it refers to the combination of
agriculture and tourism that involves visit to the farm and other agriculture sites to
experience the various aspects of agriculture lifestyle.
The concept of agrotourism is a direct expansion of ecotourism, which encourages
visitors to experience agricultural life at first hand. Agrotourism is gathering strong
support from small communities as rural people have realized the benefits of sustainable
development brought about by similar forms of nature travel.
The visitors have the opportunity to work in the fields alongside real farmers and
wade knee-deep in the sea with fishermen hauling in their nets. Some of the organizations
listed in our directory place special emphasis on agrotourism.
Agrotourism is also known as a mild form of sustainable tourist development and
multiple activity in rural areas through which the visitor has the opportunity to get
acquainted with agricultural areas, agricultural occupations, local products, traditional
cuisine and the daily life of the people, as well as the cultural elements and the authentic
features of the area, while showing respect for the environment tradition. Moreover, this
activity brings visitors closer to nature and rural activities in which they can participate,
be entertained and feel the pleasure of touring, learning and discovering.
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HISTORY OF AGROTOURISM
Agrotourism has been around for a lot longer then anyone might think. In the
simple history of agrotourism, our group summarized that development of the history
itself related to human development along with the world technologies.
Agrotourism also known as agritourism, and the history of it was discussed by
the expert from University of Tennessee Extension Publication by considering it as
Agritainment. Agritainment (agritourism and entertainment farming enterprises), created
in 1800s, when families visited farming relatives in order to escape from the city and
experience the farming. Mostly they don’t really took the holiday as a part of the
agrotourism because their main focus is to release tension and get some rest during that
time.
Visiting other country become more popular with the widespread use of the
automobile in 1920s. The used of car and vehicle make them easier to move and to
explore the other place that required them to do some journey. That make the agrotourism
become more popular and it increases not only the agrotourism industry but also the
economy of the country because of many people have their own transportation.
Rural recreation gained interest again in the 1930s and 1940s by folks that
seeking an escape from the stresses of the Great Depression of World War ll. These
demands for rural recreation lead to widespread interest in horseback riding, farm petting
zoos and farm nostalgia during 1960s and 1970s. Farm vacations, bed and breakfasts, and
commercial farm tours were popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
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AGROTOURISM TODAY
Agrotourism continues to be an opportunity to the human kind to increases their
income for some farmer and agribusinesses around the world. We can see, in the United
State of America, the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that
more than 62 million people age of 16 years and older visited farm during a one-year
period in the year 2000 to year 2001. Meanwhile, its about 20 million children under age
of 16 years old are also visited farm during that period, which make the total number of
the visitor to the farm approximately around 82 million people. The numbers of the
visitors clearly shows that the agrotourism become more popular among us.
The USDA also investigated the reason people made trips to farms, and many
positive respond they get and the responses are shows in Table 1 below:
USDA Forest Service, Interagency National Survey Consortium. National Survey on Recreation and the
Environment (NRSE). 2000-2003. Visit www.srs.fs.fed.us/trends for more information.
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Nowadays, Malaysia become obsesses in doing research of tropical agricultural
products. It continues to enhance excellence in research and development of new
agricultural resources. Exploring new industrial product meanwhile, generate the new
knowledge in the agriculture field.
At the same time, we creating the new markets for our own products and continue
to contribute to the local agriculture sector especially. Same thing goes to the
agrotourism. In our research, regarding this topic, we find out the opportunities that
agrotourism hold and the advantages towards us the consumers and also to the
development of our country economy.
Even thought, in Malaysia the agrotourism may be quite unfamiliar, but the
existences of agrotourism industry are not a new thing. The benefits of the agrotourism
are also been proven in many country in the worldwide.
Agrotourism is still new in Malaysia and the progress in the Malaysia economy
are still new, but the tourist from local and international are gave their interest in knowing
the industry of agrotourism itself.
Even thought, agrotourism is still new in Malaysia, but the development of the
agrotourism show the positive progress among the Malaysian citizen. The government
also concern about the people and try to support the people by encourage them to
exploring the agrotourism industries and at the same time the government try to help by
giving loan and also provided budget to this industry.
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For example, the ninth Malaysia plan (Rancangan Malaysia ke-9) that conducted
by the government is giving the Malaysia citizen a space to involves in this field. Based
on the ninth Malaysia plan, government try to increase the agriculture product including
the new source of growth with the greater private sector participation. Government also
expending agro-based processing activity and product diversification.
Government is now, strengthen marketing and global network so that we can
enhancing the incomes of small holders, farms and fishermen.
Below it shown the number of the tourist that visit to Malaysia to the place that
offers the activities that based on the agrotourism since year 1995 to April 2008:
Year Local International Total 19951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008
(April)
535600725600550400315320400433425107122201577
TOTAL
6515037520019023018580120170193900980418
6007501100800740630500400520603618197132001995
14427
Table 1: The number of tourist that visits Malaysia at the place that offers agrotourism activities.
Below is the percentages of the international tourist that came to Malaysia since
1995 to the April 2008:8
Korea : 52 %
Europe : 18 %
Singapore : 19 %
Others country : 11 %
Below, shown that the number of the local tourist that visits to the agrotourism
places during the same period:
The public society : 9 %
The school clubs/activities : 18 %
Students & for studied purposes : 53%
Families : 20 %
In Malaysia, most if the agrotourism spots provide the homestay. Homestay
become popular in Malaysia because of the variation of its culture that comes from the
different races in Malaysia. Usually, when people go for vocations, they would like to
stays for a few days. The concept of homestay provide the tourist a place to stay and at
the same time joining the activities that arranged by the owner. It is one of the strategy
markets because if they also provide the homestay, the tourist tends to stay longer at their
place so that they can gain more profits.
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The practicing of the agrotourism also can give many benefits to Malaysia. We
can divide this into three categories like the benefits of agrotourism to the country, the
consumers and to individual.
For the country such as Malaysia, agrotourism has plays a big roles to generates
income for the country. As we know, agrotourism has increasing the number of local
tourist as well as from the other country. The increasing of the foreigner has also
increasing the foreign money exchange into our country that will generate the income to
the country. Big companies from other country also give good responds and interest to
invest in Malaysia in tourism sectors.
Agrotourism also give many benefits to the consumers. Consumers here refer to
the tourist that involved in this agrotourism. Agrotourism is one of the sources of
entertainment. It consist if many interesting activities and at the same time it can be really
axciting. Agrotourism recommended to people who enjoy adventure and exploration. It is
because in agrotourism, we can learn many things about plants and animal besides going
to the holiday. We also can say that agrotourism can be use in education purpose and
general knowledge. Now, many school or university used agrotourism spot to hold their
activities such as camping or motivation camp. It is also can educated the students to be
closer to the nature.
Besides giving an advantage to the country and to the consumer, agrotourism
definitely gives many benefits to the owner itself. The owner can be referred to two sides.
One is the owner of the tourism spots and one is the owner of the agro-things, or maybe
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to both of it. Both party can used each other to attract people to come to their place. They
can use the tourism spot to promote agro product and vise versa.
There is some example of agrotoutism that has been practicing in our country and
at overseas. As we know, Malaysia was famous with ours homestay, IKS (industri kecil
dan sederhana), mountain climbing, jungle trekking, snorkeling and diving, food expo
and Taman Mini Malaysia. While at other country, they has their farming, horse riding,
paragliding, honey nest testing and many more interesting activities.
Here are some recommended agrotourism destinations in Malaysia that is
interesting to be visited like Cameron Highland, Kundasang, Kinabalu Mountain,
Langkawi Island, our Taman Negara and the others.
However, there is some problem in agrotourism sector in Malaysia to gain more
attention from the tourist. The first thing is no or less of publicity to promote our
agrotourism destination even to the local tourist. Most of the people do not know that
Malaysia has many places that practicing agrotourism. We also can noticed that there is
almost none advertisement about agrotourism in Malaysia that can be found in the
television. We also have a problem like the activities that come with the agrotourism are
not fully interesting. The other things that prevent agrotourism in Malaysia to expend are
the facilities at those places are not well and not comfortable enough. As we know,
agrotourism destinations mostly are at the village or countryside and most of the tourist is
from the city. So that, comfortable is their priority besides the good package activities
and tour. Lastly, the price that has been offered in the agrotourism package is too
expensive to be effort especially for local tourist.
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Therefore, from the problem that been mention earlier we have comes with
several way that can overcome it. Firstly, we have to put more publicity for this sector.
Make more advertisement at the television and at the newspaper to let people know about
agrotourism in our country. Then, offer them an affordable price and make it comes with
several packages so that the customer can choose what is suitable with their interest, time,
and budget. Lastly, provided a comfortable place for them to stay and make sure that all
the service satisfied them. Always remember that the customer is always right and they
may come again if they are happy with the services.
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CONCLUSION
In the conclusion, agrotourism gave us a lot of advantage and at the same time it
help us to protect the environment. Even though agrotourism is still not really wide
spread, but it can be develop from time to time.
If we can make sure the successful of this sector, we not only increase income of
the owner but also the economy of Malaysia. This sector can be a lot more successful in
the future, if we can increase the number of tourist every year.
We hope that the agrotourism can be the most popular sector in Malaysia that help
the development of this country. We really hope that the new generation will continued
our effort to make Malaysia one of the famous agrotourism destinations not just in our
country but also to worldwide.
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APENDIX
14
REFERENCES
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http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID=826&langID=2
http://www.agrotourism.com.cy/about/index.htm
http://kebunwarisan.blogspot.com/
http://www.hbp.usm.my/malayarchi/agrotourism.htm
http://www.agricmelaka.gov.my/template4/page.asp?PageID=300
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/2/9/bizweek/
20179170&sec=bizweek
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