Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the ‘Agricola Medal 2026’, the highest honour conferred by the United Nations agency for Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Wednesday.
Director-General of FAO, Dr Q U Dongyu, presented the award to Modi at a ceremony held in the historic FAO Plenary Hall at FAO headquarters in Rome.
“Honoured to receive the FAO’s Agricola Medal. It reflects India’s unwavering commitment to food security, sustainable development and the hard work of those associated with our agriculture sector. I dedicate the honour to farmers of my country," Modi said after receiving the award.
“India, being a food-surplus nation, is also making a significant contribution to global food security. India is at the forefront in milk and spice production. India is also among the leading countries in the production of rice, wheat, fruits, vegetables, and cotton. We believe that the future of farming lies not only in ‘Produce More’ but in ‘Produce Better’," he said in a series of posts on X.
Modi also noted that technology is becoming the new strength of Indian agriculture on Wednesday.
“We are working not only to increase production, but also to create a farming ecosystem that is sustainable, climate-resilient and future-ready.
And that is why scientific agriculture is being promoted in mission mode across India," he said.
“Lastly, this is an honor to India’s millions of farmers, livestock rearers, fish farmers, agricultural scientists and workers. This is also an honor to India’s unwavering commitment, at the centre of which lies human welfare, food security and sustainable development," he added.
Congratulating the Indian prime minister, Dongyu said the medal is in recognition of his contribution and commitment to the welfare of all people, introduction of landmark schemes during his tenure to enhance agricultural productivity, bolstering food security and improving farmer’s welfare.
The senior official also praised Modi’s support to FAO’s fundamental goals of fighting hunger and poverty and attaining universal food security as well as the pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and his efforts to prioritise agriculture on the international agenda, including during India’s G20 Presidency.
“India is doing phenomenal work in providing direct income support to more than 110 million farmers, its national efforts to advance regenerative and natural farming and the global efforts to promote nutrient rich millets, including through the International Year of Millets in partnership with FAO," he said.
The FAO DG appreciated the visionary drive by PM Modi to position digital public infrastructure as a global public good during India’s G-20 Presidency, a transformative step toward enabling access to digital technologies in developing countries for efficient service delivery and empowering communities.
These sustained efforts, he noted, have contributed to India lifting millions out of poverty.
