Uganda is known for a lot of things when it comes to tourism and Agritourism has also been added to the many things that Uganda is known for. Farm tours also known as Agritourism or agro tourism in Uganda has taken the country by storm as many farmers are now planting different crops for tourism purposes. Uganda as a country is known as a food basket in East Africa and that is why many are now venturing into Agritourism so as to earn more from their farms.
Agritourism is where one joins agriculture and tourism and in simple terms it is where crops are grown on a large scale for tourism purposes and later sold so that one can earn more income from the sales. It is on the rise in the country and it should be understood by everyone if we want to keep up with the trending world when it comes to tourism.
Uganda does not have a lot of Agritourism farms since it has just been recently introduced into the country and that is why I have listed a few of them and other unlisted Agritourism farms.
The Pineapple Agritourism Farm
The pineapple farm is located in the district of Luweero which is just 75 kilometers from the capital city of Uganda Kampala and it sits on four acres. Tourists normally visit the area to see the way how these are propagated and how they are harvested.
It is mainly operated on by Asians and everyone who visits the farm is given a knife which they use when it comes to harvesting the pineapples and they also get to buy some fresh pineapples. The farm also gives out knowledge about the different techniques that are used when it comes to farming.
Pearl of Africa Agritourism Farm
This is located in Wakiso in Banda along Hoima road and it has different plants in the area that are grown mainly for the purpose of tourism and then for sale and consumption purposes. The farm shows you the different agricultural techniques that are used on the farm and how to maintain a large farm. Some of the plants that are grown on the farm include the following:
- The food crops
There are many food crops that are grown in the area and some of these include sweet potatoes, bananas, sugarcanes, Irish potatoes, arrowroots, cassava and many more others. The food crops help in provision of food to the owners of the farm and the local people living around the farm and the visitors also get to buy some of the fresh food crops from the farm.
- Backyard farming
Vegetables are the ones that are mostly grown in the backyard farming and this is mostly done in plastics. These are grown and when they are ready they are grown to supplement the farmer’s diet and some of them are sold to tourists. The tourists also get a chance to learn how to do farming on a small scale piece of land.
- Forest farming
The forests planted here are always done on a large scale and they have helped in the reduction of deforestation in the country. There are several tree species that are planted in the area and tourists get to see the different tree species and some of these include eucalyptus trees, Musizi trees, pine trees, jackfruit trees, orange trees, Bamboo trees and many more others.
- Fish farming
There is an increase in the demand for fish in the country and that is why there is an increase in fish farms in the country. The fish farm has different species of fish that are reared but the most common species is the Cray fish and the cat fish. When tourists visit the area, they get to learn how fishing is done, how the fish ponds are constructed, how the fish is cared for without losing them and how the fishlings are chosen before they are put in the ponds.
Below are some of the general unlisted farms that are used for Agritourism in Uganda.
Cattle farms
Most of the cattle farms in Uganda are found in the western part of the country. The cattle that is mostly used when it comes to Agritourism are the long horned cattle also locally known as the Ankole cattle and these are reared for both meat and milk purposes.
Most of the farms have been turned into tourist attraction sites and hers tourists get to see how the cattle is reared using different techniques, how they are milked locally, fed and how the manure is used to fertilize the nearby gardens to get good yields. And while here, you also get to know that when a cattle is slaughtered, most parts of the cattle are not thrown away but eaten.
The coffee farms
There are various coffee farms across the country and these have been turned into tourist attraction sites. There are two types of coffee that are grown in Uganda and these are Arabica coffee and Robasta Coffee although the most grown coffee is Arabica which is mostly grown on the slopes on the Elgon slopes.
A visit to the coffee farms will have you get the general knowledge about coffee, how it is grown, the fertilizing part and you will also get to help when it comes to harvesting the ripe ones. The coffee is also exported to the different countries and the farms acting as tourist destinations will help in income generation to the government.
Tea farms
Uganda has various tea estates that are found in the different parts of the country and these are now acting as tourist destinations. Tea in Uganda is mostly. These tea estates are now Agritourism farms and one gets to know how tea grows, how it looks like while still in the gardens and how to harvest it when it is ready. The Tea farms are generating income businesses to the owners and the locals that work in them and they provide revenue to the government.
Cotton agro tourism farms
Cotton farms were a big hit in the 1970’s but kept on reducing due to the reduced demand on the international market. The farms have reduced in Uganda with time and they are no longer as accessible as they used to be and that is why the remaining few are worth visiting. The current Uganda is so urbanized in that the current population does not know what cotton looks like and that is why the few remaining farms are being used as tourist attraction farms so that both locals and tourists can get the feel of real cotton. You can also get to know how cotton is grown and the harvesting period.
Cocoa farms
These are becoming rampant in the country due to the increasing market demand both within and outside the country. Both locals and tourists get time to visit cocoa farms and get to know how the cocoa is grown, the different cocoa types, how the harvesting is done and you also get to pick some fresh cocoa for yourself at a cheap price.
The importance of Agritourism in Uganda
Agritourism gives farmers a chance to farmers to learn about the new techniques when it comes to farming and this has greatly improving their output when it comes to agriculture.
It is a source of revenue to the government through the many tourists who come in the area.
It is used as an education Centre for both farmers and those who want to learn about the different crops grown.
Agritourism is used to preserve land for future purposes for example if trees are planted, they last for a long time but the land remains active.
Note that most of the Agritourism farms in Uganda are privately owned by the different individuals that actually want to earn more income to sustain their livelihood. Agro tourism in Uganda is on the rise and given good conditions, it will be the highlight for most of the tourists who visit Uganda in the next few years. It is a good venture for the country and if you are planning your trip to Uganda, be sure you do not miss out on the safari packages that offer a tour to the different farms that are located in the different areas of the country.
Agro tourism in Uganda is mainly carried out in the Country and it has started attracting many tourists who go on safaris to see the beautiful gardens that are always on display for both the locals and the tourists who visit to see the different techniques that are used in the farms.
There are different farms in Uganda that are meant for agro tourism and most of these are owned by individuals who want to earn some extra income to boost their farms. A few of these farms have been listed below so that we get to know what they do and the crops that are planted in the area.