Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Natural Farmers Summit in Coimbatore, a mega gathering that would bring together nearly 50,000 farmers from across South India to promote natural and indigenous farming practices. During the event, PM Modi also released Rs 18,000 crore as the latest PM-Kisan instalment, benefiting nine crore farmers across India, including several lakh in Tamil Nadu.
The Coimbatore visit also saw the Prime Minister hold a massive road show - his first after the NDA's big victory in Bihar - a development being widely viewed as PM Modi formally beginning the NDA's Tamil Nadu campaign ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
PM Modi highlighted South India's leadership in agricultural innovation, calling the region a "live agricultural university", with ancient irrigation systems, temple ponds and some of the world's oldest functional dams serving as models for modern water management.
PM Modi said India's agricultural exports had nearly doubled in the last 11 years, describing it as a "big change in the farming sector". He added that the government had "unleashed everything" to modernise agriculture, including Rs 10,000 crore support through the Kisan Credit Card. Farmers have received Rs 4 lakh crore directly under PM-Kisan so far, he noted.
The Prime Minister emphasised that natural farming reduces soil degradation, cuts costs and combats climate change, and praised Tamil Nadu for adopting the practice across 35,000 hectares. He urged farmers to begin with "one acre, one season" of natural farming before expanding. He also called for natural farming to be integrated into agricultural science curricula and encouraged researchers to treat village fields as "living laboratories".
The Prime Minister said natural farming was indigenous, swadeshi and rooted in Indian tradition, praising practices such as panchakaviyam and jeevamritham already being used across southern states.
PM Modi said linking natural farming with millets could transform rural incomes, noting that the government was working to take this "superfood" global. He urged states to replicate South India's diversified cropping models, such as multi-storeyed farming in Kerala and Karnataka, saying that "even in a small landholding, multiple crops can thrive - this is the essence of natural farming".
Political Context Of PM Modi's Roadshow
The Prime Minister's roadshow in Coimbatore - his first after the NDA's emphatic victory in Bihar - has triggered political buzz that the BJP is formally opening its campaign for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The BJP recently renewed its alliance with the AIADMK, but the road ahead is fraught with internal and electoral challenges. The AIADMK remains a divided house, having lost three successive elections. Senior leaders Sasikala, TTV Dhinakaran and O Panneerselvam are no longer in the party, and both OPS and Dhinakaran have exited the NDA altogether. The PMK faces internal disputes over leadership, while the DMDK is yet to finalise its alliance plans.
Actor Vijay's TVK is expected to make its electoral debut in 2026, adding a new dimension to the race. Meanwhile, the ruling DMK continues to target the BJP on issues of Tamil language, identity, heritage and alleged financial discrimination - accusations the BJP denies. The ruling DMK has retained its formidable alliance that has won three successive polls.
With the Bihar victory boosting its confidence, the BJP hopes that PM Modi's outreach and visibility from the Coimbatore roadshow can help the NDA consolidate its position in a state where national parties have long struggled to gain a foothold.
