PM Modi receives prestigious FAO Agricola Medal in Italy | WATCH

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (May 20) was conferred the prestigious FAO Agricola Medal by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations during his visit to Rome, Italy. The FAO honoured PM Modi to recognise his work in sustainable agriculture, food security, and rural development. The prime minister also held bilateral talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and engaged in a series of diplomatic engagements.

Speaking at the conferment ceremony, PM Modi expressed gratitude for the “wonderful” welcome he received in Italy and for being honoured by the Agricola Medal. He emphasised that the medal also honours India’s commitment to human welfare, food security and sustainable development. He added that he dedicates the medal to “annadata” of the country.

“For our wonderful welcome and for honouring me with Agricola Medal, I express heartfelt gratitude to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) Director. For his friendly words for India and for his years of contribution to FAO, I express greetings to him. This is an honour for not just me but an honour for the crores of farmers in India, livestock rearers, fish rearers, agriculture scientists and our workers. This is also an honour to India's commitment at the centre of which lie human welfare, food security and sustainable development. I accept this medal with great humility and dedicate it to ‘annadata’ of India,” PM Modi said.

The prime minister added that agriculture is not just the medium for growing crops but also a sacred bond between humans and Mother Earth in Indian culture. He stressed that it is an integral part of our culture and holds thousands of years-old values.

“In Indian culture, agriculture is not just the medium to grow crops. It has been given the status of deep and sacred ties between humans and Mother Earth. In India, agriculture is the mainstream of life; it is an integral part of our culture, it is a reflection of our life values. We call the land, 'Maa' (mother). We call farmers 'Dharti Putra' (son of soil). These thousands of years-old values are still the inspiration behind our efforts,” he said.

He further added, “With teachings of thousands of years and India’s agricultural tradition, our country is going ahead in the agriculture sector with a science, technology and innovation-driven approach. We are working not just to increase production but also to build a farming ecosystem which is sustainable, climate-resilient and future-ready too. That is why, across India, scientific agriculture is being advanced in mission mode. With the help of soil health card, we are providing scientific testing of soil and nutrient-based guidance to farmers. We are encouraging campaigns like ‘Per Drop More Crop’, micro-irrigation and precision farming so that farmers can get more crops in less water.”