Tropentag 2025:

Films at Tropentag 2022

Faculty of Tropical AgriScience Bldg, Rm 116 (ground floor)

Tuesday 13 Sept 18:30–19:00 CEST

Natural regeneration to develop a silvopastoral system in Brazil

Film by Rogério Mauricio, Brazilian Centre for Sustainable Livestock (CBPS)

Normally, the cerrado savanna in Northeast Brazil is sown to pasture after deforestation. This film shows an alternative approach based on natural regeneration to develop a silvopastoral system. On a beef farm in Maranhao State, 700 ha have been managed since 15 years by selective cutting of native shrubs and trees regenerated from seed banks. The beef yield has steadily increased, leading to higher income. This system offers opportunities for economic diversification in terms of wood, carbon, honey and tourism. It also enhances biodiversity, increases carbon sequestration and improves animal welfare through shading.

Followed by discussion with Dr Rogério M. Mauricio, Visiting Professor, Thünen Institute, Germany

Tuesday 13 Sept 19:00–20:30 CEST

The forest maker

Film by Völker Schlöndorff, Germany

Documentary on Tony Rinaudo, the Australian agronomist who was honoured with the Right Livelihood Award in 2018. While working in Niger in the 1980s, he discovered the low-cost method of “Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) of native trees from existing root systems – the “underground forest” – in degraded tropical drylands. By selecting certain species and protecting and pruning them, farmers can nurture them into trees that help restore the soil and benefit the annual crops. Tony has inspired a farmer-led movement of natural regreening in the Sahel, improving the livelihoods of thousands of farming families. Tony was keynote speaker at Tropentag 2019 in Kassel.

We intend to organise a discussion with Tony Rinaudo on Wednesday Sept. 15 - info will follow.

Wednesday 14 Sept 19:30–22:00 CEST

2nd edition of “Perspectives on Pastoralism” Film Festival, Part 1

The 1st edition of the film festival was launched at Tropentag 2019 in Kassel; the films selected for this 2nd edition focus on ecologically appropriate use of natural resources, pastoralists’ rights to continue to use and steward these resources, and the challenges pastoralists face in maintaining and developing their livelihood systems. The film festival shows pastoralism as a sustainable nature-based production system – a form of agroecology ideally suited for the rangelands and for today’s climatic and economic uncertainties.

• Introduction to film festival: Dr Hussein Tadicha Wario, Director, Centre for Research & Development in Drylands, Kenya
• 10 short films sharing perspectives on pastoralism in Canada, Hungary, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Turkey, Spain and Tanzania
• Followed by Q&A with a panel of filmmakers and pastoralists.

Thursday 15 September 12:15–13:45 CEST

2nd edition of “Perspectives on Pastoralism” Film Festival, Part 2

Arreo – documentary feature film

Director: Tato Moreno

The Paradas, a charismatic family of gauchos, take their goats on transhumance between the lowlands and highlands in Argentina. This film follows them on their arduous journey through the High Andes. It captures their reflections on the threat that “progress” poses to their livelihood, on the parents’ uncertainty whether their children will keep up the generations-old family tradition, and on the beauty of their landscape. The Parada family’s music and songs expressing their feelings accompany the film.

For more info, see links in the Tropentag programme