Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that the government is actively encouraging farmers to adopt natural farming, and lakhs of farmers have joined the National Mission on Natural Farming launched about a year back.

Addressing the gathering at the South India Natural Farming Summit, PM Modi said that expansion of natural farming is the demand of the 21st century in the farming sector.

He said that soil fertility has been affected due to the excessive use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and the only possible solution to reduce its impact is through crop diversification and natural farming.

'Expansion of natural farming is the demand of the farming of the 21st century. Due to the rise in demand in the last few years, usage of chemicals has increased in farms and several agricultural sectors...Due to the excessive usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, soil fertility is dropping, soil moisture is getting impacted and the cost of farming is increasing every year. Its solution is possible only through crop diversification and natural farming,' the PM said.

Natural farming is a chemical-free, agro-ecological system that integrates crops, trees, and livestock to work with nature's processes instead of against them. It avoids use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, minimizes human intervention, and aims to restore soil fertility and biodiversity.

PM Modi said that the process of natural farming keeps soils healthy and helps in mitigating the effects of climate change.

'Natural farming helps us face climate change. It can keep our soil healthy, and with this, people can be protected from harmful chemicals. This event will play a major role in this direction,' he said.

'I am delighted that farmers in South India have adopted traditions in natural farming - like Panchagavya, Jivamrut, Bijamrut, Achhadan. These traditions keep the soil healthy, keep crops chemical-free and bring down the input cost,' he added.

PM Modi said that the positive impact of National Mission on Natural Farming is especially visible across South India, with approximately 35,000 hectares of land in Tamil Nadu alone now under organic and natural farming.

He said there has been a massive transformation in the entire agriculture sector of the country in the last 11 years.

'In the last 11 years, there has been a massive transformation in the entire agriculture sector of the country. Our agricultural export has almost doubled. To make agriculture modern, government has thrown open all paths to support the farmers.'

'Sometime back, we released the next instalment of PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi from this stage. Rs 18,000 Crores were transferred to farmers in all corners of the country. Lakhs of farmers in Tamil Nadu have also received the money under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi into their accounts...' he added.

The Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) in November last year till the 15th Finance Commission (2025-26), as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme as a shift to strengthen agriculture practices with scientifically backed approaches towards sustainability, climate resilience and safe food. It is aimed towards improving soil health and restoring ecosystems and reducing input cost to the farmer to achieve greater climate resilience. (ANI)