Sometimes the biggest thing in the way of change is only the fear of losing what we have, and for the would-be organic farmers, yield-loss has long been a worry. To go organic or not to go -- new research may now settle the question once and for all, because when we stop to look at the results, and not even including other nasty side-effects of convention, we see virtually no danger after all. Turns out, organic farming can be nearly as productive on our farms, and maybe even more productive in the rest of the world ...

"in developed countries, organic systems on average produce 92% of the yield produced by conventional agriculture. In developing countries, however, organic systems produce 80% more than conventional farms ... the materials needed for organic farming are more accessible to farmers in poor countries: those poor farmers may buy the same seeds as conventional farms use in rich countries, but they cannot afford the fertilizers and pesticides needed for intensive agriculture. However, "organic fertilizer doesn't cost much -- they can produce it on their own farms",...
The world currently produces the equivalent of 2786 calories per person per day. The researchers found that under an organic-only regime, farms could produce between 2641 and 4381 calories per person per day.
[ Organic farming could feed the world - New Scientist ]