Produzenten: Barbara Ceschi a Santacroce, (producer) Paolo Bruno (co-producer)

Schlagwörter: Baumwolle, Gentechnik, Monsanto, BT-Cotton, Indien, Selbstmord, indische Bauern

Kurzbeschreibung:
India is the world's second largest producer, one of the largest consumers and one of the largest producers of organic cotton. Since 2002 India has replaced almost all its native varieties with genetically modified seeds - known as BT cotton - containing toxins that destroy pests. The price of cotton seed has soared from 9 rupees a kilo to a staggering 4.000.

Monsanto says farmers buy seeds developed with its technology as they have confidence in their yields. But Greenpeace claims GM farmers get into 80% more debt. Farmers blame suppliers when their seed turns out to be sterile: "Everything they said was a lie." Experts examine plants and fail to find male/female parts to them. In response to a lack of choice seed banks are springing up.

Organic cotton is an alternative, as it preserves the "biosphere" and protects wildlife. Organic may offer more incentives to farmers says cotton buyer Mani Chinnaswamy: "Organic is you feed yourself first, then go out and feed the world".

Over the past 15 years hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers have killed themselves in desperation, many drinking pesticide. Bereaved families struggle to cope. Yet cotton continues to be paraded on catwalks without reference to the pain felt by many of its producers. It's up to consumers worldwide to buy fair trade: "then the whole world changes".

Erscheinungsjahr: 2012

Umfang: 53,33 Min.

Zielgruppe: Erwachsene

Sprache: Englisch

Bezug:
http://www.journeyman.tv/63220/documentaries/behind-the-label.html