Abstract
Toxic Tears looks at the little-known darker side of the “Green Revolution” in India that transformed agriculture, but has negatively impacted thousands of farmers in the country.
The Green Revolution of the mid 20th Century was aimed at greatly reducing starvation in the Third World. But the high-yielding seeds and mono-crops central to its success required heavy use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and water, with a higher cost than the traditional, more natural methods that were abandoned. While the Green Revolution did increase yields of grains and initially benefited farmers, the price paid proved very high in India, leading to heavy indebtedness, disharmony, environmental degradation, and thousands of suicides among farmers.
Toxic Tears features farmers, local merchants, and moneylenders in the Southern Punjab region who tell their stories. Two older farmers in one village describe how farming in the past was different from today, and how their sons were forced to take more loans from banks and local moneylenders. Heavily in debt, they took their lives by drinking pesticides, and were among the 25 farmers who committed suicide in recent years in their village. One villager who continued to farm organically describes how the use of pesticides is like a drug addiction, making both farmers and the land dependent upon them, and at great cost.
Dr. Vandana Shiva, noted scientist, environmentalist and winner of the Right Livelihood Award, provides additional background and commentary. She believes local moneylenders have indeed benefited, but that the main beneficiaries are the big agricultural companies who provide the seeds, pesticides and fertilizers to local middlemen, with little understanding of the impact of their decisions and products.
The Green Revolution of the mid 20th Century was aimed at greatly reducing starvation in the Third World. But the high-yielding seeds and mono-crops central to its success required heavy use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and water, with a higher cost than the traditional, more natural methods that were abandoned. While the Green Revolution did increase yields of grains and initially benefited farmers, the price paid proved very high in India, leading to heavy indebtedness, disharmony, environmental degradation, and thousands of suicides among farmers.
Toxic Tears features farmers, local merchants, and moneylenders in the Southern Punjab region who tell their stories. Two older farmers in one village describe how farming in the past was different from today, and how their sons were forced to take more loans from banks and local moneylenders. Heavily in debt, they took their lives by drinking pesticides, and were among the 25 farmers who committed suicide in recent years in their village. One villager who continued to farm organically describes how the use of pesticides is like a drug addiction, making both farmers and the land dependent upon them, and at great cost.
Dr. Vandana Shiva, noted scientist, environmentalist and winner of the Right Livelihood Award, provides additional background and commentary. She believes local moneylenders have indeed benefited, but that the main beneficiaries are the big agricultural companies who provide the seeds, pesticides and fertilizers to local middlemen, with little understanding of the impact of their decisions and products.
Collection
Subject
Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- India -- Punjab, Agricultural laborers -- India -- Punjab -- Social conditions -- 21st century, Farmers -- India -- Punjab -- Social conditions -- 21st century, Agricultural innovations -- India -- Punjab, Seed industry and trade -- India, Crops -- Genetic engineering -- Social aspects -- India -- Punjab, Globalization -- India, Green Revolution -- India -- Punjab, Green Revolution -- Environmental aspects -- India -- Punjab, Green Revolution -- Economic aspects -- India -- Punjab
Contributors
Duration
00:25:13 (HH:MM:SS)
Language:
English
Target or Intended Audience
higher education, college, general
Copyright Holder
| Name | The Video Project |
| Role | distributor |
| Telephone | 888-962-9012 |
| Address | 150 Green St., Suite 201, San Fransisco, CA 94111 |
| [email protected] |
Copyright Date
2013-01-01
Rights Declaration:
This video is protected by copyright. You are free to view it but not download or remix it. Please contact the licensing institution for further information about how you may use this video.
Persistent/Share URL
https://54098.surd9.group/show.php?pid=njcore:28519
Basic LTI parameter
pid=njcore:28519
PID
njcore:28519
Metadata