Farm tourism
As a public service and to help the Department of Tourism (DOT) in disseminating basic information on the salient provisions of the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016 (Republic Act No. 10816) as well as the corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), I am sharing some basic information about farm tourism, as follows:
•Farm tourism is defined as the practice of attracting visitors and tourists to farm areas for production, educational and recreational purposes. It involves any agricultural – or fishery – based operation or activity that brings to a farm visitors, tourists, farmers and fisherfolk who want to be educated and trained on farming and its related activities, and provides a venue for outdoor recreation and accessible family outings (Section 3 (a) RA 10816 and Section 4 (c) IRR);
•The Farm Tourism Act highlights the importance of agriculture in making available food and other products necessary to sustain and enhance human life, and in providing livelihood to a major portion of the population (Section 2, RA 10816);
•Other important definitions in RA 10816 are:
Farm tourism activity – any activity carried out on a farm that allows visitors and tourists to enjoy farming or fishing experience through education, recreation or leisure (Section 3 (b), RA 10816);
Farm tourism camp – any farm area that allows visitors and tourists to visit, get involved in farm activities, and to enjoy and learn rural lifestyle (Section 3 (c), RA 10816).
A farm tourism camp can be accredited by DOT every two (2) years and TESDA can accredit farm tourism camps as technical vocational institutions for agriculture and tourism courses (Section 11, RA 10816);
Farm tourism operator – any person, company or recognized group, who is the owner or overall in charge of a farm tourism camp (Sec 3 (d), RA 10816);
Farm tourism practitioner – any person who is engaged in providing one or more farm tourism activities (Sec 3 (e), RA 10816);
Farm Tourism Strategic Action Plan – There is hereby mandated the formulation and implementation of the Farm Tourism Strategic Action Plan, herein referred to as the Plan, which shall be the comprehensive set of programs, projects and activities for the growth of farm tourism in the country. The Plan shall be integrated and be made consistent with the National Tourism Development Plan (Sec 4, RA 10816);
•There is a Farm Tourism Development Board attached to the Department of Tourism. It shall formulate, advocate, coordinate, oversee and assess the implementation of the Farm Tourism Strategic Action Plan (Section 5, par 1, RA 10816).
There is one provision in the Farm Tourism Act of 2016 that immensely benefits the farm tourism operators and practitioners. I am referring to a provision in Section 8 that says: “Farm tourism operators and farm tourism practitioners may avail of incentives under existing laws.”
Unfortunately, neither the Farm Tourism Act nor the IRR lists down some of the major incentives provided for in some existing laws.
The farm operators and the farm practitioners will greatly appreciate the extra service that the DOT (as well as the other government agencies mentioned in the Act) will provide on this matter as the farm operators and the farm practitioners will have a difficult time collating and consolidating the various incentives available to them that are found in various laws as they do not have adequate facilities to conduct the research requirement. Unlike the DOT, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA) and the other government agencies mentioned in the Farm Tourism Act – who have the staff and the funds to do the research work.
Have a joyful day! (For comments/ reactions please send to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: villafuerte_nelly@yahoo.com)