Video courtesy: Krishnendu Bose
There are over 300 million people in India who do not have enough food to meet their basic nutritional requirements. With further intrusion of the market economy and increasing corporatisation of Indian agriculture, it is suspected that millions more will go hungry in the first decades of the new millenium. Harvesting hunger is a journey into this impending world of hunger and famine, an exploration of the deepening crisis of food security in the country.
The film revolves around four case studies: Punjab for a study of the yellowing of the Green Revolution, Kalahandi for an investigation into the structural reasons of famine and impoverishment; Warangal for an examination of the debilitating effects of money lending - resulting in suicide deaths - prompted by multinational pesticides enterprises; and Bellary for an understanding of the role of giant seed and food processing companies in destroying the very base of Indian agriculture.
The case studies are presented in isolation but are woven together in a complex blend. Together, they cover a vast canvas and provide a panoramic view of the grave crisis looming over India's horizon in terms of food security. Each case study is narrated by local farmers, who tell the story of themselves and their village. The four case studies are interspersed with snatches of life in an idyllic pastoral setting where traditional agricultural practices are in vogue, as a counterpoint. A farmer activist, Vijay Jardhari, who is part of a movement to revive traditional agricultural practices (Beej Bachao Andolan), in the Himalayas narrates this. He provides a peep into sustainable agricultural systems, which could be an answer to the present crisis in Indian agriculture.
Funded by ActionAid India, the film took one-and-a-half years to complete. It has been selected for competition at Toronto Film and Video Festival for Environment and Wildlife (September 2000) and Okomedia Environment Film Festival (Freiburg, Germany, October 2000) and EarthVision, Tokyo (March 2001).
The film was awarded a special Jury's award at Okomedia 2000 and EarthVision 2001.
Krishnendu Bose set up Earthcare Films, making wildlife and conservation films. After acquiring a Masters degree in Economics from Delhi School of Economics (1985), he went independent, making documentaries on conservation development politics. Harvesting Hunger – a film on the politics of food in India won the Special Jury Award at Okomedia Environment Film Festival in Freiberg, Germany in 2000 and awarded at the EarthVision Environment Film Festival in Tokyo 2001. Jardhar Diary – a film on community conservation in the Himalayas was awarded by Earthvision Environmental Film Festival, Tokyo 2003. His film on the tiger crisis- Tiger- the death chronicles was awarded the Wildlife Conservation Award at the 4th Vatavaran Film Festival 2007 and Conservation Award at the International Wildlife Film Festival at Missoula, Montana in 2008. He has been awarded the highest award in India for environment filmmaking, Prithvi Ratna in 2009.
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