Paraguay: Soya and Pesticides (Enhanced DVD)

With its recent focus on the production of soya, Paraguay is on the verge of becoming a bio-diesel powerhouse. This documentary focuses on the effects of this increased production on the environment and people of Paraguay.

When Silvino Talavera, an 11 year-old boy from Paraguay, rode his bike through a cloud of pesticides being used on a soya field he became ill almost immediately. Shortly after, he died. His story and name became the rallying cry for opponents of the poisons being used indiscriminantly on the soya fields of Paraguay. This program chronicles that event, through reenactments and interviews, and looks at the larger political, legal, and economic effects of agritoxins on the entire region of Latin America.

Agribusiness, large, industrial size farms, is pushing local farmers off their land and out of business. These large farms employ the use of toxic chemicals, regardless of the effects on the local environment. Paraguay's President stands with his people in opposition of the use of these toxins in areas where they can affect the people of Paraguay. Not only does agribusiness spread toxins across the country they are also strong arming local farmers, running them off their land, and destroying Paraguay's rainforest, only 12% remains. The people have started to organize into Campesina organizations to fight the inequality, forceful removal of local farmers, burning of crops, and deforestation of the country. Through interviews and examples filmmakers expose the issues and inequalities facing Paraguay in the creation of a cash crop that now controls the majority of this beautiful country.  Original broadcast title: Soya: Silvino’s Story (Segments in Spanish with English subtitles) Running time: 25 minutes

Length: 26 minutes

Item#: BVL41930

ISBN: 978-1-61616-909-1

Producer: Network Ireland Television

Copyright date: ©2009

 Closed Captioned