Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed what he described as the 'winds of Bihar' blowing through Tamil Nadu during his address at the South India Natural Farming Summit 2025 in Coimbatore on Wednesday. The observation came as members of the audience enthusiastically waved their shawls in a gesture reminiscent of the Prime Minister's celebratory 'gamcha' twirl following the NDA's sweeping victory in the Bihar assembly elections.
Political Undertones in Farming Focus
Modi humorously noted that the Bihar winds seemed to have reached Tamil Nadu ahead of his own arrival. This comment carried political significance as the BJP aims to expand its presence in Tamil Nadu, where crucial assembly elections are scheduled for 2026. The timing of Modi's visit was particularly charged, occurring alongside protests by the DMK and its allies regarding the special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
Despite the political context, the Prime Minister maintained an apolitical stance throughout the majority of his speech, concentrating instead on the transformative potential of natural farming for India's agricultural sector.
Massive Financial Support for Farmers
During the landmark event, Prime Minister Modi released the 21st instalment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, facilitating the transfer of ₹18,000 crore to farmers across the nation. He confirmed that thousands of farmers in Tamil Nadu were among the beneficiaries of this substantial financial support.
The Prime Minister revealed that ₹4 lakh crore has been directly transferred to small farmers' bank accounts since the scheme's inception, highlighting the government's commitment to supporting agricultural communities. Furthermore, he announced that through the Kisan Credit Card scheme alone, assistance exceeding ₹10 lakh crore had been extended to farmers this year.
Natural Farming: The Path Forward
Modi positioned India as being on the trajectory to become a global hub for natural farming. He expressed serious concerns about the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which he stated were diminishing soil fertility and escalating cultivation costs.
The Prime Minister emphasized that crop diversification and natural farming present the most viable solutions to these challenges. He urged farmers to initiate their transition through a practical 'one acre, one season' trial approach, allowing them to observe results before committing further.
Modi also called upon agricultural scientists and research institutions to integrate natural farming into their core curriculum, treating farmers' fields as 'living laboratories' to advance this movement with scientific backing.
Highlighting institutional support mechanisms, the Prime Minister noted that 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been established in recent years. These organizations are instrumental in equipping small farmer clusters with essential facilities for cleaning, packaging, and processing, while also connecting them directly to digital platforms like e-NAM.
The event saw the presence of Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, Union Minister L Murugan, and State BJP President Nainar Nagenthran, underscoring the significance of the summit for the region's agricultural future.
