FAO Director-General honors Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with prestigious FAO Agricola Medal

Rome – THE The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, today presented Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the FAO Agricola Medal, the Organization’s highest honour, during a ceremony held in the historic Plenary Hall at FAO headquarters in Rome.

Qu warmly congratulated the Prime Minister and said: “It is an honor to award the FAO Agricola Medal, the highest honor of the Organization, to His Excellency Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in recognition of his invaluable contribution and long commitment to the well-being of India and all people. During his tenure, he initiated historic projects aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing food security and improving the livelihoods of farmers. Agricola Medal is a recognition of its unwavering support for FAO’s mandate in combating hunger and poverty and pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as its efforts to prioritize agri-food systems and rural development on the international agenda, including during India’s presidency of the G20.

The FAO Director-General praised Prime Minister Modi’s exceptional leadership and vision in advancing India’s efforts to transform the country’s agricultural landscape through innovative and innovative farmer-centric initiatives.

Qu praised India’s food and agriculture initiatives implemented under the leadership of the Prime Minister for their scale and scope. The FAO Director-General particularly highlighted India’s financial inclusion initiatives, the world’s largest food social safety net covering 800 million people since the COVID pandemic, direct income support for over 110 million farmers, national efforts to advance regenerative and natural agriculture, and global efforts to promote nutrient-rich millets, including through the International Year of Millets 2023 in partnership with the FAO.

He expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Modi’s visionary drive to position digital public infrastructure as a global public good during India’s G20 presidency – a transformative step towards access to digital technologies in developing countries for effective service delivery and community empowerment. These sustained efforts, he noted, have helped India lift millions of people out of poverty.

Thanking the Director-General of FAO for the honor bestowed upon him, the Prime Minister said he was deeply honored to accept the award and termed it a recognition of the immense contributions and achievements of millions of Indian smallholder farmers and the scientific and research community towards national and global food security.

FAO-India cooperation

The Indian Prime Minister paid tribute to FAO for its major contributions to global agriculture and food security, hailing its eight decades of efforts to end hunger and eradicate poverty around the world.

Recalling with appreciation the enduring partnership between India and FAO, he noted that the Organization has been a staunch partner in India’s journey towards a self-reliant global agricultural power.

Prime Minister Modi noted that the India-FAO partnership was mutually reinforcing, with India contributing significantly to FAO’s mission.

In this regard, he highlighted the immense contributions of two eminent Indians to FAO – Binay Ranjan Sen, the first FAO Director-General from a developing country, and Dr MS Swaminathan, the architect of India’s Green Revolution, noting that their work has profoundly shaped FAO’s efforts and influenced the global discourse on food and agriculture.

Prime Minister Modi also reaffirmed India’s commitment to further deepen its already vibrant collaboration with FAO.

He expressed his appreciation for the dynamic leadership of the Director-General and his efforts to transform FAO into a more efficient, agile and modern organization in line with his vision and objectives. He praised the initiatives undertaken by Qu in favor of the transformation of agri-food systems, by mobilizing voluntary contributions and the framework of Four best – better production; better nutrition; a better environment; and a better life, without leaving anyone behind.

The awards ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including ambassadors and permanent representatives of FAO member countries, senior management of FAO, representatives of other UN agencies in Rome, including the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Program (WFP), as well as Indian nationals serving on UN bodies.

The FAO Agricola Medal is awarded by the Director-General of FAO to extraordinary leaders who have demonstrated commitment and action towards FAO’s mandate to eradicate hunger, reduce poverty and achieve food security and nutrition for all.

Related multimedia content on Prime Minister Modi’s visit to FAO is available here.