Bullfrog Films
29 minutes
SDH Captioned
Grades 7-12, College, Adults

Directed by Alex Gabbay
Produced by tv/e (Television Trust for the Environment)

DVD Purchase $195, Rent $65

US Release Date: 2013
Copyright Date: 2012
DVD ISBN: 1-93777-264-0

Subjects
Agriculture
Anthropology
Asian Studies
China
Developing World
Economics
Food And Nutrition
Global Issues
Globalization
Government
Local Economies
Marketing and Advertising
Migration and Refugees
Social Psychology
Sociology
Sustainability
Sustainable Development
Urban Studies

Future Food Series
Stay or Go?
(China)

Who will grow China's food as young people leave the countryside for the cities?

"Takes a pressing global problem - the high average age of farmers - and explains it in a way that will connect with students." Dr. Jonathan Deutsch, Program Director, Culinary Arts and Food Science, Drexel University

In many remote areas of China young people have little choice but to stay on the land, and yet they may face a destitute future, with millions of farmworkers in China earning less than two dollars a day. Although there are some exceptions, farming is not generally seen as a "sexy" career choice.

The reality is that in China and around the world, young people are fleeing the countryside and moving to the big cities. Who will grow the food that feeds future generations? How can young people be convinced that farming is a good option? Californian-born Rand and his wife Sherry are the founders of Resonance China, a social media agency in Shanghai. They use the internet to create and identify trends and tricks that can create a buzz for global brands. FUTURE FOOD sets Resonance a task: can they make farming popular with young people?

Other titles in this series are:

1. Old or New? - In Lima, Peru, a new generation of top chefs are cooking with traditional ingredients and supporting traditional livelihoods.

2. Food or Fuel? - Kenyan farmer Moses Shaha journeys through the Tana Delta, where farmers are starting to grow jatropha, a biofuel crop.

3. Big or Small? - What's the best method of growing food for a hungry population of 9.5 billion people: Big, or small?

4. Fat or Skinny? - The people of India are faced with a choice: indulge in a Western-style fast food diet, or embrace healthy and indigenous alternatives.

5. Near or Far? - The Nigerian Minister for Agriculture wants to ensure Nigerians eat food grown in Nigeria.

Web Page: http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/ffsg.html

Reviews
"Using the challenge of feeding China as a case in feeding the world, Stay or Go? takes a pressing global problem - the high average age of farmers - and explains it in a way that will connect with students. The producers commissioning a social media campaign on young farming heroes to 'make farming sexy' and recruit young farmers is a novel and compelling approach."

Dr. Jonathan Deutsch, Professor and Program Director, Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, and Food Science, Drexel University, Co-author, They Eat That? A Cultural Encyclopedia of 'Weird' Foods from Around the World and Food Studies

"Very impressive. These films present current problems in global food production and consumption with unstinting clarity. They highlight figures who advocate for indigenous crops without simply turning back the clock or giving in to the Western model of industrial scale agriculture. They propose models which value the local economy and yet think progressively in ways that will help people deal with rising population and increasingly volatile market for foodstuffs. These are thinkers, activists, politicians and farmers who will shape the future of food around the world."
Ken Albala, Professor of History, University of the Pacific, Author, Beans: A History

"With the future population estimated at 9 billion by 2050, food production must more than double to meet the demand. Who will grow all that food? How can we plan now to encourage people to become farmers? explores creative avenues that might provide that incentive for farmers in the world's most populous nation, China. Borrowing from the field of advertising, some planners hope to rebrand farming as a desirable career."
Jane Fajans, Professor of Anthropology, Cornell University, Author, Brazilian Food: Race, Class and Identity in Regional Cuisines

"These films put food in a global perspective, pushing the boundaries of discussions about local, artisanal, and organic foods."
Fabio Parasecoli, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Food Studies, The New School, Author, Bite Me! Food in Popular Culture, co-Editor, Cultural History of Food

"All programs are thought-provoking and educational, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, and excellent choices for high school, college, and public library DVD collections."
The Midwest Book Review

"Highly Recommended. This 6-part series is a great collection of educational documentaries packed with interviews, insights, and images. Instructors can't go wrong when using these films in classes! Each documentary is independent of the others, but all share the same theme - exploring local solutions for feeding the world. Seeking both the local and international perspectives, the producers interviewed an impressive variety of recognized leaders and professionals working in the sustainable agriculture and human rights arenas including small-scale farmers, lobbyists, United Nations directors, ethicists, local government officials, authors, activists, and even a Nobel Peace Prize winner. The films are less than 30-minutes long each, which makes them perfect for in-class viewing and discussion. Each film is appropriate for a variety of courses ranging from business to anthropology. Whether purchased as a set or individually the price is a deal."
Kristan Majors, Emory Univesity, Educational Media Reviews Online