Exploring the Viability of Utilizing Agricultural and Rural Areas for Tourism: A Comparative Analysis of Farming Between Conventional and Agritourism Farms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study compares the performance of conventional and agritourism farming to investigate how the COVID-19 epidemic has affected agricultural efficiency. The study was carried out in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Tanzania, due to a comparatively high concentration of agritourism and conventional farmers. Regression analysis and the slack-based measure data envelopment analysis model (SBM-DEA) are used in this study to assess farming efficiency and identify the critical variables influencing the productivity of conventional and agritourism farmers. The application of the comparative approach is what sets this paper apart, as most researchers tend to examine conventional farmers and agritourism farmers separately leading to a noticeable methodological gap.  The results reveal a significant efficiency gap, where conventional farmers outperformed agritourism farmers. This result shows how vulnerable agritourism farming is to external disruptions exemplified by COVID-19-related disruptions. Moreover, the study identifies the positive influence of training and direct sales-to-consumers on efficiency, while recognizing the negative influence of lack of value addition and production of export crops. These insights are important for designing targeted strategies to ensure a sustainable recovery post-COVID-19.