Industrial or Organic, Which Farm Method to Use?

Crop productivity in sub-Saharan Africa will need to keep pace with the threats of population growth and climate change, John Collins Rudolf writes for the “Green Inc.” column of The New York Times. To ignite a green revolution in the region, industrial farming methods such as the use of fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation and high-productivity grain hybrids may be enforced. Critics, however, have agressively pushed back the idea, pointing to the adverse effects of industrial farming, including land and water pollution, and instead advocating the use of organic agriculture techniques.