Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) partnered with We The Leaders Foundation to organize Youth Farming Conclave 2025 at IITM Research Park on 2nd Aug 2025 in collaboration with several organizations.
This conclave marks a major step forward in youth-led agricultural transformation in Tamil Nadu. The event was held at IIT Madras Research Park to demonstrate how modern technology, sustainable practices, and traditional farming knowledge can come together. This one-day conclave brought together young farmers, students, agri-innovators, and institutional leaders to collectively reimagine agriculture as a space for innovation, regeneration, and youth-led enterprise.
Addressing the event, Chief Guest Mr. Manoj Kumar, CEO – Naandi Foundation, said, “Naandi Foundation has managed to convert One Million Farmers to organic farming. Most of our work is in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. We might want to start in Tamil Nadu also. In the last 25 years, the entire focus of Naandi Foundation has been to make people ask three questions - Has the farmer, who made this food that has come to my plate, made profits or is he loss-making? Is this food good for me? By the time this food has come to my plate, how much has it damaged this planet?”
Mr. Manoj Kumar added, “How do we ensure that everyone always eat quality food? We have tests to ensure that every food is safe and we should make it the normal. If we want the planet to be regenerated, like the cells in our body, that is the correct way to grow food. We have successfully implemented this in Araku Valley. The only way we can do all of this is if the country decides to go back to its roots.”
Speaking about the ‘Internship for Farmers’ initiative launched during the conclave, Shri K. Annamalai (Former IPS Officer), Chief Mentor, We The Leaders Foundation, said, “The ‘Internship for Farmers’ initiative will provide an exposure to those interested in agriculture. Eight organic farmers have come forward to open their doors to youngsters interested in learning about agriculture. The objective is to plant the seed of farming in the mind of youngsters while they are pursuing studies. The benefits of such initiatives will be felt in the generations to come.”
Lauding Prof. V. Kamakoti for pursuing Organic Farming, Shri K. Annamalai added, “The ‘Internship for Farmers’ will connect those interested in farming with the organic farmers.”
Shri K. Annamalai added, “Today, we are growing economically with a prosperous middle class that actively searches for organic products. The success of organic farming can be gauged from the fact that coffee from Araku Valley can be found as far as in France. They provide for end-to-end farming. This conclave will also see addresses by farmers whose family members faced cancer, following which they switched over to organic farming. Naandi Foundation has developed a Cosmic Calendar that will help farmers know of the nature’s behaviour.”
Mr. David Hogg, Chief Agriculture Advisor – Naandi Foundation, elaborated on the importance of nature farming. The event witnessed the launch of the Youth Farming Internship Program a pioneering initiative aimed at bridging rural wisdom with urban curiosity through immersive farm-based learning. It will begin with eight identified Lead Farmers across the Kongu region of Tamil Nadu, who have voluntarily offered their farms as living classrooms for youth.
Speaking on how technology can play a role in agriculture, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “We have started an Regenerative Agriculture Stack Architecture (RASA) at IIT Madras. We explored concepts like Automated farming, electrifying tractors and light weight agricultural devices, among others. Natural farming must be encouraged and particularly, the youngsters must take up to it.”
Recalling his experiences as an organic farmer himself, Prof. V. Kamakoti added, “In my first year of farming, there were little rains and in my village of Vishnupuram near Kumbakonam, we installed solar-powered pumps for the first time in the region. We got good yields after a few years and expenditure on fertilizers reduced considerably. The organically-grown fields also withstood heavy rains, which took a heavy toll on other fields that were dependent on chemical fertilizers. Today, we have different climatic variations and hence, the crops need resilience and tolerance against floods and drought respectively.”
The Youth Farming Internship Program features include:
Two internship formats will be offered:
7-Day Full-Time Internship: A weeklong immersive experience in natural farming, rural innovations, and regenerative practices.
2-Day Weekend Farming Experience: A short-term exposure program designed for youth seeking a refreshing and purposeful rural engagement.
This model will soon be scaled across other districts of Tamil Nadu, creating a decentralized network of learning farms, driven by community mentors.
A MoU was signed between Amul–Richplus Organic Farming Initiative and We The Leaders Foundation to promote organic and regenerative farming practices in Tamil Nadu, empowering farmers and enhancing market linkages. A Panel Discussion on ‘The Future of Agriculture: How Can Youth Explore, Engage & Empower?’ was also held during the occasion
Further, young lead farmers shared Field Experiences and also gave exposure to successful natural and regenerative farming models.