According to current estimates on world population growth,
agricultural productivity will have to increase by 56 percent by
2030. Can organics help answer this need? That question was a
topic of great interest at a May conference of the United
Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. Organic
agriculture is an environmentally friendly choice, conference
presenters said, for reasons including more efficient use of
local natural resources and less reliance on fossil fuels
(organic farmers don't use petroleum-derived fertilizers or
pesticides). Research by the Rodale Institute and others also
show that organic soils retain 20 percent to 40 percent more
water, so they require less irrigation and produce better yields
than conventional crops during times of drought and climate
change. On the social front, organic agriculture—which requires
30 percent more labor per hectare, or 2.5 acres—offers
employment opportunities and contributes to rural development.
Health benefits are another important contributio