The award-winning documentary film, Bitter Seeds, screens at the Bermuda Documentary Film Festival on Saturday, October 20. The film follows an Indian farmer from sowing to harvest, while also telling the story of a young girl who seeks to become a journalist so that she can give voice to the powerless.Here, director Micha Peled whose previous film, China Blue, screened in Bermuda talks about the dramatic impact that Monsanto’s genetically-modified seed programme is having on farmers in the Vidarbha region of the state of Maharashtra in India, where most farmers are cotton growers.n Many farmers in that region have committed suicide. What is the role of genetically modified (Bt) seeds in the farmers’ suicide crisis?The most common reason for farmers’ suicide is their hopeless indebtedness. They get trapped in a vicious cycle of debts because their farming costs are higher than what their yield fetches in the market.Many factors, both domestic and global, contribute to the problem, but the overall main factor is the seeds. It is the only important thing that has changed in recent years.The genetically modified seeds (known in cotton as Bt) require a large upfront investment. They are three to four times more expensive than the hybrid seeds. They need more fertiliser and substantial doses of pesticides. Eighty percent of the farmers can only borrow from private money lenders, who charge exorbitant interest rates, thus increasing the farming costs even higher. To obtain the loans, farmers often have to put up their land as collateral.The fertilisers present another problem. They must be applied according to a precise timetable in the growing season. Fertilisers require watering (the ground must be moist), but 90 percent of the farmers don’t have irrigation and are rain-dependent. In drought years farmers risk losing not only their crop and initial investment but also their land.All of this would have been manageable if the Bt seeds increased crop yields significantly. However, on the average, yields have remained unchanged for most farmers.n Does climate change affect the situation?While the Vidrabha region, where the film is shot, has always been semi-arid, recent years have seen a significant increase in the frequency of droughts. It’s interesting to keep in mind that the harsh conditions had not prevented farmers from supporting their families by growing cotton for millennia. They used their own seed varieties, saved from their plants. They fertilised by using cow dung, without irrigation.n Do Bt seeds bring about a reduction in the use of pesticides, as Monsanto claims?Bt cotton plants indeed reduce the need for pesticide against bollworms, cotton’s main pest. But now secondary pests, like the mealy bug, have become a major problem, and cotton growers must apply substantial pesticides against them. Some local studies show Bt cotton actually requiring more pesticides, while Monsanto claims the opposite. These counter-claims cannot be investigated by independent scientists because companies like Monsanto don’t allow independent research of their seeds.Monsanto’s history is relevant here. In the past, the company sold other products which were later found to be harmful to both the environment and humans. Agent Orange, PCBs and DDT were all banned.n Why don’t the farmers use conventional seeds?Such seeds are not available locally. The seed shops only sell genetically modified brands. It is in their interest to stock only Bt seeds because they also sell the chemical inputs that Bt seeds require.n Why don’t the farmers switch to a different crop?The private money lenders, on whom 80 percent of the farmers must depend, will only lend to cotton growers. As Christian Parent points out in his book, Tropic of Chaos, the money lenders won’t lend to farmers who grow food because they are afraid the farmers will eat, or sell the crop, before they pay back their debt.n Who benefits from the Bt seeds (besides the industry)?The GM seeds can be suitable for large, industrial farming operations. Two basic conditions are required to prosper with GM seeds:(1) Access to low-interest loans. For the high upfront expenses;(2) Continuous access to water, so that the plants can be fertilised according to the required time table.Bitter Seeds will screen at 2pm on Saturday, October 20. Tickets to Bermuda Docs go on sale Friday, October 5, at www.bdatix.bm, at All Wrapped Up-Washington Mall, at Fabulous Fashions-Heron Bay Plaza, or by calling 232-2255.