Narendra Modi receives Agricola Medal from FAO 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the prestigious Agricola Medal for 2026 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations at the FAO Headquarters in Rome yesterday (20 May).

The award was conferred in recognition of his exceptional leadership to address food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development in India and at the global level.

Qu Dongyu, director general of FAO, handed over the award to Modi. 

Modi dedicated the honour to Indian farmers and the Indian agricultural scientific community, said an official statement.

Modi underlined that the recognition was a tribute to India's commitment to human welfare, food security and sustainable development and the centrality of agrarian life in India.

He said, "India's scientific and innovation-based approach to farming is fostering a sustainable, climate-resilient and future-ready ecosystem. Practices like micro-irrigation and precision farming are guiding India's agricultural policies."

Elaborating on tech-based farming solutions, he stated that digital public infrastructure, AI-based advisory systems, drones, remote-sensing technologies and sensor-based machinery were helping Indian farmers to reap rich harvests and higher farm incomes.

In the last 10 years, India has developed around 3,000 climate-resilient crop varieties, the prime minister said, adding India's science-driven agriculture is strengthening global food security, in particular for countries in the Global South.