Organizers:
- South Against Genetic Engineering
- Bangalore Film Society
- Era Organics
- ICRA
- Pristine Organics
- Bhoomi Network
- Green Foundation
- Svaraj
Venue: Ashirvad, No. 30 St. Mark's Road Cross, Opp. State Bank of India, Bangalore 560 001
Description:
This film, is a powerful documentation of the trauma that Bt cotton farmers experienced in 2002- 03, in Warangal District of Andhra Pradesh.
Warangal had attracted the attention of the world when more than 200 cotton farmers, caught in the vicious cycle of pest attacks, pesticide resistance and mounting debts found no way out but to commit mass suicide. For an agrochemical industry like Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech Ltd., this was an ideal opportunity to promote their genetic two Bt cotton hybrids viz., MECH Bt 12, and MECH Bt-162 in the 2002 kharif planting season.
This led to a range of real life losses that the Bt Cotton farmers of Warangal witnessed on their farms and in their lives.
To tell their story, the women filmmakers from the Community Media Trust returned tenaciously to Warangal, month after month, both in cold winter and searing summer, sought out their farmer focus groups, cajoled them to share their information and opinion on the positive and negative impacts of Bt cotton, and video recorded all interviews and observations.
Independently, as well as a part of its larger parental study (, this film is a genuine representation of the experience of Bt cotton farmers in Warangal district. Through its sheer authenticity, this film nails the propaganda lies of the biotech industry and reveals the dangers of genetically-engineered crops for smallscale, dryland farmers.
The attached brochure gives details of the programme and the films. We look forward for your active participation.