THE NEGLECTED MIRACLE

“Our film invites you on a journey that has involved us for 5 years, taking us to a dozen countries. It’s a journey about seeds. About the seeds we plant to grow crops like beans, maize and wheat. Where do these seeds come from? Who controls them? We didn’t get all the answers, but one thing is certain. Whatever is one’s discipline or politics, we all depend on seeds for life.”

A feature length documentary dealing with the stewardship of plant genetic resources. Who is responsible for crops genetic resources, the basis of the world’s food supplies?

Sequences shot in Peru, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Netherlands, Italy, France and Australia. Political and social factors in genetic conservation. Wild species in Peru and Australia. The Central Potato Institute in Peru. Medicinal Plants and Reserves in Costa Rica. Building a Seeds Bank in Nicaragua. Plant Breeding in Netherlands, Italy and Peru. The “seeds industry” in France and Netherlands. Planters’ rights. Plant patenting in Netherlands, France and Australia. The “business of flowers” in Netherlands.