Agroecology in film: Online release of documentary "The Green Vein"

"Our project conducted participatory action research with food system actors in six countries. 'The Green Vein' creates awareness for the diversity of healthy local food items and dishes, representing efforts to increase food sovereignty." Johanna Jacobi, Professor of Agroecological Transitions, acted as the Principal Coordinator of the r4d project "Towards Food Sustainability: Reshaping the Coexistence of Different Food Systems in South America and Africa (FoodSAF)" (2015-2021).

Between 2019 and 2021, the Food Systems Caravan project travelled by land through Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria and organised conferences, workshops, study visits to key projects, open field days, open classes in university and schools as well as food festivals in the five countries. The events focused on agroecology as a systemic solution to improve the sustainability of West Africa’s food systems and stimulated networking between organisations and citizens working in the movement who framed problems and solutions together.  

"The YAMSYS project co-developed with farmers, extension agents, scientists, and many other stakeholders, innovations for a more sustainable yam production. The film 'The Green Vein' gives our research partners and stakeholders in the West African region an exceptional platform for outreach." Emmanuel Frossard, Professor of Plant Nutrition, was the Principal Investigator of the R4D project "Biophysical, institutional and economic drivers of sustainable soil use in yam systems for improved food security in West Africa (YAMSYS)" (2015-2021).

Researchers, farmers’ representatives, agricultural extension officers, students, NGO workers, the private sector and policymakers were involved in the process. They used the opportunity to collectively draft recommendations for better policies to improve the uptake of agroecological practices and approaches in the targeted countries.

From short videos to feature film

Sara de Sousa Correia, the film director who travelled with the caravan, was initially engaged in the project by Fernando Sousa (FiBL) to produce short videos for showcasing some of the visited initiatives. However, she realised early that "the footage and overall experience were telling a story that needed to be shared with the world: The story of a growing agroecological movement that is slowly changing the face of agriculture in West Africa." "The Green Vein" started taking shape in 2021 and a first version was used for screenings with diverse audiences in Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin and Nigeria.

"The film production enabled the co-creation of transformation knowledge and the emergence of regional network relations that make a social fabric for promoting sustainable food systems." Claudia Zingerli, Head ETH Sustainability and former r4d programme coordinator, acted as the Executive Producer of the film.

Already the first rough cuts of the short videos and film stimulated vital debate among all types of stakeholders involved in West African food systems. The audio-visual material, combining science with arts and benefiting from charismatic protagonists and talented script writers, created inspiring and restorative moments in thousands of viewers spanning at least three generations. Based on their reactions, an improved and final version of the documentary was submitted in 2023 to festivals across Africa, North and South America, winning four of them and receiving honourable mentions in two others.

Now, "The Green Vein" is released online to the public and is available in English, French, Bambara, Spanish and Portuguese. Several screenings in rural and urban areas are planned in the next two years in the framework of the CARE project (Capitalization of Agroecological Research Evidence from the r4d programme in West Africa), which builds on and expands the network of the Food Systems Caravan. The film is expected to continue stimulating the debate about the sustainability of food systems and transition to agroecological approaches, but also to inspire change across the region.