Cultural and Agricultural Tourism Thrive at Pokhara’s Daai Festival

Published on December 1, 2025

The Daai Festival’s second edition took place on Saturday in Pokhara, Nepal, as one of the first festivals to integrate traditional agriculture with the practice of tourism development. The festival, for the first time held in Puranchaur, Pokhara Metropolitan City-19, aimed to motivate and encourage the younger generations to get involved with the practice of agriculture and market Pokhara as a blossoming tourism centre.

The festival is organised by the Pokhara Tourism Council, the main tourism council for the city with partnership of incorporated farming tourism. The theme of this edition aimed to spotlight the agriculture of the area and its ability to economically sustain its fusion with farming tourism to benefit the surrounding communities.

The Role of Agriculture in the Tourism of Pokhara

With the Annapurna Mountain Range and Phewa Lake, Pokhara is a well known and one of the most beautiful places in Nepal. In Addition to its natural wonders, the city also has and undocumented and underrated agricultural heritage. The Daai Festival works to include and integrate the agricultural practices of the city with tourism in a way that provides an opportunity for travelers to engage with the land and experience rural life in Nepal.

Farm activities have always been an integral part of the economy of Pokhara. Visitors to the area have an interest in authentic experiences and activities that promote and sustain the local lifestyle. The festival showcased the traditional farming methods and provided the tourists an opportunity to be part of the farming activities by planting and harvesting the crops and practising the techniques of organic farming.

With the integration of farming and tourism, Daai festival promotes sustainable and synergistic ventures of increasing economic income for the farming activities of the constituents while also retaining the cultural and farming practices of the region. It enables the tourists to appreciate the cultural and farming history of the region by understanding the integrated life practices of the locale.

Promoting Sustainable Tourism and Agriculture

All destinations globally, including Pokhara, have embraced and integrated sustainable practices in its tourism activities, and the tourism activities of Daai Festival promote and educate the participants the concepts of responsible tourism and sustainable farming practices, and how tourism can be used to assist and motivate farmers to adopt ecologically sustainable farming practices.

Participating guests were exposed to the sustainable practices being adopted by local farmers during the festival. These practices include organic farming, water, and soil conservation management practices to assure sustainability in farming. The festival also encouraged the collaboration and integration of the tourism and farming industries by enabling the participants, farmers, and agricultural specialists to share their knowledge and skills.

Organic agriculture, farm-to-table dining services, and green lodging establishments complemented the tourism offered by local farmers who participated in the festival. The tourists’ invitation to local farms encouraged them to acquire fresh produce, interact in a farm life that is an integral part of Pokhara’s culture and nature, and live a rural life that is a part of Pokhara’s culture and nature.

The Integration of Agriculture and Tourism

The region’s agricultural landscapes can be explored through farm stays, rural tours, and hands-on agricultural workshops. These activities combine with the growing adventure and cultural tourism in Pokhara. They enable tourists to appreciate the local culture. They also learn the farming techniques that sustain the region’s economy through direct participation in the local culture.

Pokhara offers trekking, paragliding, and boating on Phewa Lake for tourists pursuing adventure tourism. But by expanding her travel offerings to include agri-tourism, the city is diversifying her travel industry and attracting tourists seeking more authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences.

The agricultural workshops at the Daai Festival, where tourists learned traditional methods of seed saving, crop rotation, and composting, were one of the festival’s highlights. In addition, attendees were able to participate in local food festivals, which feature organic and regionally sourced food, thereby strengthening the connection between sustainable tourism and agriculture.

This festival supports local farmers by promoting their products and methods, while also bringing more revenue to Pokhara’s tourism industry, which motivates tourists to stay longer and discover the surrounding countryside.

The Incorporation of Local Culture and Heritage in Pokhara’s Tourism

The integration of farming and tourism in Pokhara provides an opportunity to diversify the area\’s offerings. The Daai Festival is a testament to the growing potential of agritourism in Pokhara. As a result of Daai Festival, agritourism in Pokhara is likely going to be a major attraction for purpose driven and sustainable travellers.

Focusing on agricultural heritage, Daai Festival helps to sustain local customs and integrate them into modern tourism. It enhances the tourism-community nexus and provides a platform for tourists to support the local economy and adopt environmentally friendly and sustainable practices that benefit the local farmers and improve their living situations.

The growing popularity of the Daai Festival could encourage the tourism industry to create more sustainable and innovative practices in the integration of tourism and farming for other regions in Nepal and the world. It demonstrates the potential to be a flagship model for sustainable and impactful tourism collaborations.