Coimbatore, November 19, 2025 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared India is well on its way to becoming a global hub for organic farming, emphasizing the nation's deep-rooted traditions and suitability for this agricultural approach. Speaking at the inauguration of the South India Natural Farming Summit 2025 in Coimbatore, Modi championed organic farming as a potent solution to climate change, highlighting its alignment with India's indigenous practices.
The Prime Minister underscored the increasing adoption of agriculture by the youth as a modern and scalable opportunity, driving the nation towards its goal of becoming a global leader in organic farming. He also launched the transfer of ₹18,000 crore to 9 crore farmers under the 21st installment of the PM Kisan Scheme.
Modi expressed his deep personal connection to natural farming, stating that the Union Government is actively promoting it through necessary policy initiatives. He noted the visible impact of these initiatives, particularly in South India, with Tamil Nadu alone boasting 35 lakh hectares dedicated to natural farming. The Prime Minister encouraged farmers to dedicate at least one acre of land to natural farming for a season to experience its benefits firsthand.
Acknowledging the detrimental effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on soil fertility and moisture, Modi stressed the importance of restoring soil health for future generations. He commended the southern states for embracing traditional alternatives like panchagavya and advocated for crop diversification, including millets, while referencing the multi-story farming practices prevalent in Kerala and Karnataka. He highlighted the historical significance of millets in the region's diet, such as the offering of "tinai" (yellow foxtail millet) flour and honey to Lord Muruga, and the traditional consumption of "kambu" (pearl millet) and "samai" (little millet) in Tamil Nadu, "ragi" in Kerala and Karnataka.
The Prime Minister conveyed the government's commitment to facilitating access to global markets for chemical-free produce and expressed confidence that natural farming would play a vital role in expanding their international reach.
Modi also lauded the courage and innovation of farmers in Tamil Nadu. He shared his experience of interacting with farmers at the exhibition, noting the inspiring examples of youth, including engineers and even former ISRO employees, who have embraced natural farming.
The summit, organized by the Tamil Nadu Natural Farming Stakeholders Forum from November 19-21, aims to promote sustainable, eco-friendly, and chemical-free farming practices. It seeks to accelerate the shift towards natural and regenerative agriculture as a climate-smart and economically sustainable model, while also focusing on creating market linkages for farmer-producer organizations and rural entrepreneurs and showcasing innovations in organic inputs, agro-processing, eco-friendly packaging, and indigenous technologies.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister urged scientists and research institutions to integrate natural farming into agricultural education and consider farmers' fields as "living laboratories". He emphasized the crucial roles of state governments and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in promoting natural farming.
PM Modi also noted the government's past achievements in making agriculture more climate-resilient. In the past 10 years, around 1,900 new climate-resilient varieties of crops have been introduced, including varieties of rice that require 25% less water. In addition, 109 high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of crops were released for cultivation.
