People have become more interested in how their food is produced.

They want to meet farmers and processors and talk with them about what goes into food production. For many people who visit farms, especially children, the visit marks the first time they see the source of their food, be it a dairy cow, an ear of corn growing in a field, or an apple they can pick right off a tree.

“Once you carry your own water, you will learn the value of every drop.”

Value-added agriculture entails changing a raw agricultural product into something new through packaging, processing, cooling, drying, extracting or any other type of process that differentiates the product from the original raw commodity.

Examples of value-added agricultural products include garlic braids, bagged salad mix, artisan bread, lavender soaps, and sausages. Adding value to agricultural products is a worthwhile endeavor because of the higher returns that come with the investment. The opportunity to open new markets and extend the producer’s marketing season as well as the ability to create new recognition for the farm.

Increasingly, value-added products are hitting the local market as producers take advantage of high-demand product niches.

This is the key to success in value-added agriculture—niche markets are where

smaller producers can be most successful in creating value and establishing a profitable business.

https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/lifestyle/agritourism/