PM Modi inaugurates South India Natural Farming Summit, releases ₹18,000-cr PM-KISAN instalment

coimbatore: prime minister narendra modi on wednesday inaugurated the south india natural farming summit 2025 in coimbatore and released the 21st instalment of the pm-kisan scheme, transferring ₹18,000 crore to nine crore farmers across the country.addressing the gathering, modi said india was on the path to becoming a global hub of natural farming, emphasising that the model was rooted in indigenous knowledge and suited to the country's environment. he urged farmers to adopt the “one acre, one season” approach to experience the benefits of natural farming.the prime minister noted major shifts in the agricultural sector over the past 11 years, including nearly doubled agricultural exports, expanded kisan credit card coverage, reduced gst on bio-fertilisers and increasing youth participation in modern agriculture. he said ₹4 lakh crore had been directly transferred to small farmers under pm-kisan so far.modi said chemical overuse was diminishing soil fertility and raising cultivation costs, adding that natural farming and crop diversification were essential to restoring soil health and ensuring long-term sustainability. he highlighted that 35,000 hectares in tamil nadu were already under organic and natural farming.calling south india a “living university of agriculture”, he cited traditional integrated farming practices, water management systems and millet cultivation as models for the nation. he urged scientists to treat farms as “living labs” and make natural farming a fully science-backed movement.the summit, organised by the tamil nadu natural farming stakeholders forum from november 19 to 21, is hosting over 50,000 farmers and stakeholders from southern states.