Common Ground: Urban Farmers Nourish their Communities

Common Ground: Urban Farmers Nourish their Communities 

How to view: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/multimedia/video/common-ground-urban-farmers-nourish-their-communities/

Director: | Producer: Oxfam America
Produced | Country: Global 
Run Time: 4.38 minutes | Language: English

Synopsis:Innovative small-scale urban farmers all over the world are helping to ensure access to local, healthy food. From Harriet's backyard plot in Kampaala, Uganda to Amanda's community farm in Waltham, Massachusetts, farmers share the desire to nourish the world. Oxfam is thankful for small-scale farmers whose work feeds billions of people around the world

Opinion:

Recommendation: Oxfam America 

U.S Food Aid Reform

U.S Food Aid Reform 101

How to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Gv-o8BE44

Director: | Producer: Lisa Ferrell 
Produced | Country: United States
Run Time: 2.45minutes | Language: English 

Synopsis: Food aid reform can feed 4 million more people without costing the U.S. an extra dollar. Here's everything you need to know about food aid reform in just under 3 minutes. 

Opinion: U.S food aid has been critical in saving lives and addressing chronic poverty and malnutrition. But the current system, which requires shipping food from the U.S to hungry people in need, is outdated, inefficient and slow, risking lives when every moment counts. 


Recommendation:
Good introductory video for people who are new to the foreign aid reform. 

Life, Land and Justice in Uganda

Life, Land and Justice in Uganda

How to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17QxF61PVC4

Director: | Producer: Friends of the Earth International 
Produced | Country: Kalangala, Uganda 
Run Time: 5.07minutes | Language: Central Sudanic (English subtitles)  

Synopsis: In Kalangala, Uganda, John Muyisa woke up one day to find bulldozers clearing his land to plant oil palms. John and his community have preserved their forests and lands for generations. Now their way of life is at risk. 

Opinion: Support John. In this video he has had the opportunity to share what happens to communities every single day, many who do not have a voice. 

Recommendation:

Land Grabs - Ethiopia

Land Grabs - Ethiopia

How to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeQFCBFYlwY

Director: | Producer: The Guardian Films   
Produced | Country: Ethiopia 
Run Time: 11.48minutes | Language: English 

Synopsis: Over the last three years an area the size of Britain has been handed over to corporations to make way for large-scale industrial farming in Ethiopia. With cheap rates and incentives, companies are pouring in to the exploit the land the government has cleared of its people. Many of the displaced are too scared to complain:"what power do we have to stop them? We just stay silent", says one farmer. Despite promises of a better life, many Ethiopians are being left within nothing. Ethiopian Farm Minister, Wondirad Mandefro, shrugs: "they have to abandon their previous way of life".

Opinion: In Ethiopia, one of the hungriest countries in the world, small farmers and communities are being moved off their land as international agribusinesses take over large swathes of fertile farmland.

Recommendation:

Life and Debt

Clip from Life and Debt

How to view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzYGaFv1ryo

Director: | Producer: Stephanie Black
Produced: 2001 | Country: Jamaica 
Run Time: 4 minutes (full film 1hour26minutes) | Language: English 

Synopsis: Life and Debt is a woven tapestry of sequences focusing on the stories of individual Jamaicans whose strategies for survival are determined by the US and other foreign economic agendas.    

Opinion: A great compilation of short clips that summarize well the full length documentary Life and Debt, that focus on the effects of the free trade and IMF policies.  

Recommendation:

Gold Fever

TITLE:  Gold Fever

Viewer (optional): not yet viewed

How to view:  www.goldfevermovie.com  Register to view, price varies depending on audience size.  

Director: | Producer:
Produced in USA | Country: Subect is Guatemala
Run Time:  83 minutes or 55 minute condensed version  | Language:  English

Synopsis:  Tells story of Gold mine in San Miguel, Guatemala, land takeover and resistance of the indigenous people who live there.  Features commentary from David Korten, Charlie Clements, Noam Chomsky, and other notables. 

Opinion:  Has won numerous awards.  The website features Oxfam's petition re Marlin Mine.  Looks like a very good fit for Oxfam's work on oil, gas, and mining.  

Recommendation:

Bajo Aguán: The Clamor for Land

Bajo Aguán: The Clamor for Land 

How to view: http://www.albasud.org/video/en/22/bajo-aguan-grito-por-la-tierra-english-version

Viewer: Zhenxi 

Director: | Producer: Alba sud and Rel-UITA with the support of the The World Rainforest Movement (WRM), Food First International, The Coordination of Popular Organizations of the Aguán (COPA), Radio Universidad (UCA Nicaragua) anb Comitè de Empresa de Serveis Funeraris de Barcelona
Produced | Country: Honduras

Run Time: 30 minutes  
Language: (Spanish with English subtitles)

Synopsis: a film about one of the most violent regions in Honduras since the 2009 coup, where the country’s largest and wealthiest landowner, Miguel Facussé, has used extreme levels of violence to re-press peasant communities in order to expand his massive oil palm plantations. Since the coup, over 80 Aguán peasants and activists fighting for the right to land been murdered.

Opinion:
The film documented the struggle people in Bajo Aguan are facing by letting the people speak for themselves. It starts with an introduction to the military regime and follows up with the reality of farmer's lives after the resettlement. 
The film highlighted the cruelty and injustice in the region through people's narration. Through the interviews with the local activists, survivors and government officials, we get a holistic idea of the impacts the violence has caused. 

Good with documentation, but no suggestive actions. See hope but mostly depressing.

 Recommendation:

Good for motivational purpose. It leaves a powerful impression. However, the documentary does not link Oxfam's campaigns as the solutions to the problem. 

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