A report recently published by the UN demonstrates that organic farming can more than double yields in many parts of Africa, compared to conventional, input-intensive and high-tech methods. Simple soil preservation measures that are the foundation of organic farming, such as composting, rotation, and cover crops, are critical to the drought-prone, semi-arid regions of the continent. Organic agriculture has been shown to conserve moisture through organic matter accumulation and thus to protect soil against drought, which may offer a better solution for tropical soils than Green Revolution tactics, whose benefits largely bypassed African agriculture. Access to markets and environmental benefits may be among other rewards of switching to organic in the global South. Full Story: The Independent
