Seeds of Hunger

Directed by Yves Billy and Richard Prost

52 minutes / Color
Release: 2009
Copyright: 2008

Today more than three billion people worldwide suffer from malnutrition, including one billion who are starving. The current global economic crisis has created food shortages, skyrocketing prices, and food riots in some countries. With the world of agriculture confronting the impact of such factors as global warming, population urbanization trends, changes in eating habits, and increased use of grains for biofuels, SEEDS OF HUNGER outlines the shape of an impending global food crisis.

Filmed in Africa, China, Latin America and the U.S., SEEDS OF HUNGER examines issues involved in creating such a crisis, including the politics of food security and scarcity, declining food production and the need for increased production to meet population growth, the impact of genetically modified foods, water shortages, famine, food aid programs, the loss of crop land, and national food production, distribution and export policies.

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These and other issues are explored in interviews with farmers, financial analysts and food buyers and importers worldwide, as well as Maryam Rahmanian of the Centre for Sustainable Development and Environment, Bruno Parmentier, Director of the Ecole Superieure d'Agriculture, Zhang Shihuang of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Lester Brown, President of the Earth Policy Institute, Marc Dufumier, researcher for AgroParisTech, Amani Elobeid of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, and Stefan Tangermann of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

★★★½ "A powerful look at a timely and important topic, this is highly recommended."— Video Librarian

"Serious. Educational. A very good lesson in geography and social economy."—Telerama

"A remarkable documentary."—Le Monde

"Attractive and useful film that can be effectively utilized as a teaching tool in courses on economic development and international economic relations."—Leonardo Reviews

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Select Accolades

  • Best Documentary, 2009 Bourges International Festival of Environmental Films

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