The food we eat in Denmark and Europe is the result of global production and export systems that trace back to the colonial powers of the past. And it has significant implications for how land is cultivated in the global South. Now, Kenyan farmers, activists, and experts have their say. The OpEn-supported filmmaker Benjamin Muasya and the award-winning Kenyan food activist Claire Nasike Akello take the stage with the film "Back to the Roots" and a talk that will make you see the connection between the food on your plate and the global food system.
The film follows the struggle for food sovereignty, ecology, and the right to return to Kenya's pre-colonial food culture. You will be introduced to the "Kunde bean" - or the cow bean - as it was named by colonial powers - which gave the indigenous crops names that made them sound more like animal feed than suitable for humans. The indigenous crops withstand both droughts and floods, but Kenya's food laws hinder their cultivation. Local activists, experts, and farmers must act themselves for a more sustainable and fair food system.
After the film, Marie Sainabou Jeng, co-founder of Madland and project collaborator, will moderate a conversation with filmmaker Benjamin Muasya and agroecologist Claire Nasike Akello about the film's reception and the significance the collaboration has had for the stakeholders - in Kenya as well as in Denmark. The conversation will provide you with concrete tools on how to engage more actively in the global movement for a fairer and more sustainable food production through food activism.
Presented in collaboration with The Mother Tree and Madland with support from OpEn.
