We are thrilled to announce the online release of Seeds of Freedom, a landmark film by The Gaia Foundation and the African Biodiversity Network, narrated by actor and UNFAO Goodwill Ambassador Jeremy Irons.

The film is the result of over a year’s work, piecing together an important story about the impact of industrial agriculture – and genetic engineering in particular – on biodiversity and communities across the world. Find out what people are saying about the film by visiting the Seeds of Freedom website to hear reflections from Dame Vivienne Westwood, Patrick Holden, Sir Julian Rose and many more.

The film features voices from across Africa, and interviews with global experts and activists Dr Vandana Shiva (Navdanya), Henk Hobbelink (GRAIN), Zac Goldsmith MP (UK Conservative party), Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser, Kumi Naidoo (Greenpeace International), Ramon Herrera (GRAIN Mexico), Gathuru Mburu (the African Biodiversity Network), Liz Hosken (The Gaia Foundation) and Caroline Lucas MP (UK Green party).

Seeds of Freedom charts the story of seed from its roots at the heart of traditional, diversity rich farming systems across the world, to being transformed into a powerful commodity, used to monopolise the global food system.

You can watch the 30-minute film and find out more by visiting the website www.seedsoffreedom.info

We invite you to support the growing Food Sovereignity Movement by sharing Seeds of Freedom amongst your colleagues, family and friends. In doing so, you can help us to increase understanding around these issues and to encourage the public to be part of a movement to take back control of the food system. We have a window of opportunity now to turn the tide of the global agro-chemical industry’s takeover of our food and farming systems. Every time we buy food, let us ensure we are proactively supporting farmers who are reviving diversity-rich seasonal foods. Let us remember that our choices today are defining the future of our children.

Whatever you do, please share it, talk about and support it! Tweet about the film, share it on facebook, email it and screen it. If tweeting, you can use the hashtag #seedsoffreedom to join the global conversation around the film.

“Yet another important piece of the puzzle that we needed to get the full picture of what a sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition security reality looks like. It is time for our decision makers to protect the branch we are sitting on, them included, and so they need to return the rights to the seeds to their legal owners, the farmers” Dr Hans R Herren, President Biovision Foundation and Millennium Institute

“Seeds of Freedom is a powerful film with an important message. There is a new wave of cultural imperialism taking place right now in the field of biodiversity and seed. We are losing our critical seed diversity to just a handful of corporations in the western world. The genetic erosion taking place here is tantamount to ecocide. The rate of farmer suicides because of crop failure and debt is nothing short of genocide. We must decentralise our food system.” Vandana Shiva, Founding Director, Navdanya, India