Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the South India Natural Farming Summit–2025 at Coimbatore on November 19, emphasizing sustainable agricultural practices, safe food production and improved livelihoods for farmers.

The three-day summit, held at the sprawling CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex in the textile city, carried the theme “Farming for the Future, Rooted in Tradition.”

In his message, Modi had said that the nation’s future lay in returning to its roots and that nature should be treated not as a resource to exploit but as a partner to respect.

Organised in line with India’s emerging agro-ecological vision, the summit brought together research, policy, traditional knowledge systems, farmer experiences and consumer needs on a single platform. Anchored by national initiatives such as Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP) and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), the summit acted as a state-level confluence of more than 30,000 participants, including farmers, agripreneurs, policymakers, natural farming advocates, startups, academicians, consumer groups and youth leaders.

The event aims to promote large-scale adoption of natural farming and traditional food systems, create stronger market linkages for farmer-producer organisations and rural entrepreneurs, and showcase innovations in organic inputs, agro-processing, eco-packaging and indigenous technologies. It also focuses on empowering youth and women through training, incubation and enterprise development, while strengthening climate-resilient agriculture and soil health awareness.

A large-scale exhibition with over 300 stalls displayed technologies, tools and solutions in the agriculture sector, drawing significant footfall from various stakeholder groups.

In view of the Prime Minister’s visit, Coimbatore city was brought under heavy security cover. More than 4,500 police personnel were deployed across key junctions, the airport, venue surroundings and major entry points into the city. Vehicle checks were intensified, drone surveillance was activated over the CODISSIA grounds, and a multi-layer security ring was created around the venue. Traffic diversions were implemented to ensure smooth movement of the PM’s convoy and to manage the large gathering attending the summit.

The summit, inaugurated amid heightened security, marked another significant step toward promoting natural farming and sustainable agricultural practices in South India.