[ Yomjum Yomgam ]
Arunachal Pradesh has vast scope for promotion of agriculture tourism. Some areas are the paddy-cum-fish culture of Ziro (L/Subansiri district); wet rice cultivation-cum-scenic beauty of the agriculture fields of Yazali (K/Panyor); the orange gardens of Dambuk (LDV), the pineapple gardens in Bagra (W/Siang), and so on.
Recently, on demand from domestic tourists from Delhi and Mumbai, my travel agency arranged for them to visit and view the beautiful Galo agriculture fields. The four tourists – two from Mumbai and two from Delhi – trekked from Tirbin, via Gadi Mesi-Gangkak village in West Siang district, and stayed at my native Akker Yomgam village. In the evening, a local cultural troupe in traditional attire presented a traditional dance for the tourists.
April is the peak season for agriculture in the Galo areas, especially for those who practice shifting/traditional agriculture. During this month, sowing of seeds and burning of jungles and clearing of the fields for sowing of seeds are the main activities in the agriculture fields, and both males and females play important roles in this, helping one another from the time of cutting and clearing of trees till the collection of rice.
The tourists participated in and enjoyed the shifting cultivation activities of the Galo tribe at my village along with the farmers of the village over two days, and learnt different traditions of the tribal people.
As a senior tour operator of the state, I feel that if we encourage agriculture tourism in our state, there will be income and employment generation in the rural areas of the state, especially for farmers, SHG groups and unemployed youths of the villages.
Tourists from the metropolitan cities like to take breaks to relax and enjoy the rural life, and want to learn about the life of the rural farmers of Arunachal.
The Tirbin (Leparada), via Liromoba-Yomcha-Darak and Kamba (West Siang) tourist circuit offers a good scope for promotion of agriculture tourism, adventure (trekking), and tribal tourism. The need is to sustainably exploit such opportunities. (The contributor is managing director of Itanagar-based Yomgam Tours & Travels)
