Two friends from Amsterdam, Netherlands, with opposing views on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) investigated the truth behind biotechnology, filmed in the documentary entitled “Well Fed.” Ryan Tipps, AgDaily’s managing director, discussed his take on the documentary. The story revolved around the journey of Hidde Boersma, a pro-biotech scientist, and Karsten de Vreugd, a biotech critic, who traveled from Netherlands to England and then to the Bt brinjal (eggplant) farms in Bangladesh.
According to Tipps, the documentary is an honest look at the perceptions, the needs and the stakeholders’ experiences. de Vreugd wanted to be enlightened about the technology by seeing GMOs in action. Thus, most of the film was captured in Bangladesh, one of the developing countries adopting biotech crops. After exploring the experiences of the farmers before and after Bt brinjal adoption, it was concluded that the influence in Bangladesh is less corporate and more centered on non-governmental organizations.
The film ended with a statement from environmentalist Mark Lynas explaining the possible consequences of banning GMOs, which includes difficulty in providing food for the hungry children and making farming sustainable.
