The averagedairy cow in America produces 30 litres of milk a day; a cow in Africa, only 1.6. This 19-fold difference—call it the dairy divide—has enormous consequences. Closing even some of it would ease poverty, help children grow up better nourished, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and perhaps even make civil wars less likely. The good news is that cows can become more productive, thanks to the spread of technologies old and new. But unhelpful traditions—and climate change itself—make it harder.
This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Bridging the dairy divide”
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Sweden is banning OnlyFans content as the lines around sex work blur
It is meekly welcoming the new sheriff’s vigilante justice
The answer matters more than you think
Donald Trump prefers deals to regime change
After decades of rising secularism, Christianity is holding its ground—and gaining among the young