Czech filmmaker Hedvika Michnová, from Falmouth University, has released a documentary about smallholder farmers in Tanzania and Cost Rica whose agriculture practices are protecting biodiversity and fighting climate change.
Titled “It’s Bean Too Hot”, the 30-minute documentary shares the story of small coffee producers who are fighting to save their livelihoods, taking the viewer from carbon-neutral farms to exploring climate-smart agriculture practices.
“Coffee farmers need to understand that there is a climate change effect,” says Mwajuma Hamisi, a Tanzania Agronomist at sustainable initiative coffee&climate (c&c).
“I have seen farmers make progress and increase their productivity. This happened once they began to change their way of living, share responsibilities and collaborate as a family in farming.”
In the documentary, Michnová also investigates what drives these families to continue producing coffee despite climate circumstances, with the documentary currently a finalist for the Jackson Wild Media Awards 2021.
“It’s Bean Too Hot” is not only looking at climate-smart agriculture,” says c&c. “[Michnová] is finding answers on how coffee farming can succeed as a family business, how to promote women’s participation, and what the role of consumers is.”
There will be an online documentary premiere, followed by a Meet & Greet Event hosted by Michnová and c&c program manager, Stefan Ruge. The event will take place 7 September and be divided into two parts.
Part one will see the documentary premiered on Youtube at 3pm CEST with part two, the Meet & Greet live event, held at 3:30pm CEST.
“This matter is a chain reaction. Things cannot be achieved alone. We depend on those who drink coffee, but they also depend on us,” says Emil Augustino Mzumbwe, a smallholder coffee farmer from Mbeya, South Tanzania.
c&c is a precompetitive partnership, made up of both public and private partners who are working together to support small coffee-producing families and their communities in combating climate change.
To sign up for the premiere, click here, or for the Meet & Greet session click here.