IndiaPosted at: Nov 12 2026 10:57PM


PM Modi urges farmers to go chemical-free, embrace technology and build multiple income streams

New Delhi, Nov 12 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called upon farmers to adopt chemical-free natural farming, diversify agricultural activities and embrace modern technology, warning that excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides was damaging the soil and threatening the long-term sustainability of agriculture.
Stressing that agricultural growth must go hand in hand with environmental protection, he urged farmers to safeguard the earth that sustains them while making farming more profitable and resilient.
Addressing the Bharat Agriculture Conference, organised by the India Today Group, Modi said India needed to move towards a farming model that combined traditional wisdom with scientific innovation, renewable energy and value addition.
He also called upon manufacturers, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups to develop affordable, solar-powered agricultural machinery and equipment to reduce farmers' dependence on conventional energy sources. "Are we protecting our Mother Earth? Ask yourselves this question with your hand on your heart," the Prime Minister said, cautioning that indiscriminate chemical use was gradually degrading agricultural land.
Advocating natural farming, he said a single cow could provide sufficient manure for farming across 30 acres, reducing the need for chemical inputs. Describing agriculture as central to the vision of a developed India, Modi said farming was not merely an economic activity but an integral part of the country's culture, traditions and social fabric. Festivals such as Bihu, Pongal, Onam, Baisakhi, Sarhul and Chhath, he observed, reflected the deep-rooted relationship between India's civilisational heritage and agriculture.
Highlighting the performance of agriculture over the past decade, Modi claimed that India had registered an average agricultural growth rate of more than four per cent, a first since Independence. Referring to a recent World Bank study on poverty, he said nearly 50 crore people had come out of poverty over the past 12-13 years, with rural areas witnessing a particularly significant improvement.
He maintained that agricultural development had played an important role in strengthening rural livelihoods and criticised those who, he alleged, were unwilling to acknowledge the country's progress because of their political preferences. India's agricultural exports, he said, had crossed Rs 4 lakh crore annually, while the country had emerged as the world's largest producer of milk, pulses, jute, rice and millets. India was also the second-largest producer of wheat, cotton, fruits, vegetables and fish.
"These are not merely statistics; they demonstrate the growing capabilities of India's farmers," he said.
Emphasising that farmers must not remain dependent on traditional crops such as wheat, rice and sugarcane, Modi called for the development of multiple income streams through dairy, poultry, fisheries, beekeeping and horticulture. He said milk production had increased by nearly 70 per cent over the past decade, while egg production had risen by approximately 90 per cent. Fish production had more than doubled, honey output had increased from around 80,000 tonnes to 1.5 lakh tonnes, and horticultural production had expanded from 280 million tonnes to over 350 million tonnes.
Describing these developments as different agricultural revolutions, he said the Green Revolution had made India self-sufficient in foodgrains, while the White Revolution had established the country as the world's largest milk producer. The Blue Revolution in fisheries and the Sweet Revolution in beekeeping, he added, were opening up further avenues of income for rural households.
The Prime Minister also underlined the potential of solar energy to transform farmers from food producers into energy producers. Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, approximately 12 lakh solar pumps had been provided, helping farmers reduce electricity expenses and earn additional income through solar power.
Recounting his experience as Gujarat Chief Minister, Modi said he had introduced large-scale agricultural festivals to establish direct interaction between farmers and agricultural scientists. The initiative was guided by the principle of taking scientific knowledge from laboratories to fields, popularly described as the "lab-to-land" approach.
He said the number of soil-testing laboratories had increased from a few hundred in 2014 to more than 8,400, while the country now had over 725 Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The government had also focused on animal health, with the livestock of more than eight crore farmers receiving free vaccinations against Foot and Mouth Disease.
Referring to the Namo Drone Didi initiative, Modi said women operating agricultural drones had demonstrated that advanced technology could be successfully adopted even in rural communities. Recalling his interaction with a woman drone operator from Jharkhand, he said she had told him that villagers now addressed her as a pilot, while members of her family affectionately called her "pilot bhabhi". The initiative, he said, was not simply about introducing technology into agriculture but also about strengthening women's confidence, dignity and social standing.
"India is creating opportunities everywhere, from agricultural engineering to agri-start-ups. We have to transform our food providers into agricultural entrepreneurs," he said, stressing the importance of food processing and value addition close to the place of production.
He described the network of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) as an important instrument for strengthening small farmers by bringing them together, improving their bargaining power, facilitating food processing and connecting them with larger markets.
On financial assistance to the farming community, Modi said the government had spent Rs 16 lakh crore over the past 12 years to ensure the availability of fertilisers at affordable prices. A bag of DAP fertiliser that cost around Rs 5,000 in the international market was being supplied to Indian farmers for Rs 1,300, while urea costing approximately Rs 3,000 internationally was available for less than Rs 300.
In what he described as an exclusive disclosure to the India Today Group, the Prime Minister also spoke about the government's response to the sharp rise in international crude oil prices during the West Asian conflict. He said crude prices had surged from around $70 to $122 per barrel within a few weeks, creating pressure for an increase in diesel prices of as much as Rs 50 per litre. The government, however, had raised the price by only Rs 7 per litre and absorbed the remaining Rs 43 per litre burden, he claimed.
According to Modi, the Centre continued to bear an additional financial burden of approximately Rs 14,000 crore every month to shield farmers and consumers from the full impact of international price fluctuations.
The address also featured an indirect political attack on the Congress and previous governments over their record on democratic institutions and freedom of expression. Without naming those involved, Modi recalled an incident during his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister when the state secured the highest ranking in an economic performance assessment conducted by an institution named after a former Prime Minister. He alleged that the then Congress-led government at the Centre was unhappy with Gujarat receiving the recognition and directed the researchers concerned that their reports could not be published without prior government approval.
Questioning the democratic credentials of those who, he said, had subsequently begun lecturing others on democracy and tolerance, Modi used the episode to criticise what he described as selective commitment to freedom of expression.
Returning to the agricultural agenda, the Prime Minister urged progressive farmers to take the lead in demonstrating the benefits of natural farming, arguing that practical results would persuade fellow farmers more effectively than speeches or appeals. He called for collective efforts to reduce dependence on chemical inputs, improve agricultural productivity and protect soil fertility for future generations. The larger objective, he said, should be to build an agricultural economy in which farmers were prosperous, villages economically strong and farming modern, sustainable and remunerative.
India's pursuit of development, Modi stressed, must not come at the cost of the natural resources on which its people and agriculture depend.
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Tags: #PM Modi urges farmers to go chemical-free# embrace technology and build multiple income streams
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