Seeds of Discontent is a powerful new documentary film that reveals the roles played by a Swedish investment firm, Dutch pension fund and Norwegian church endowment in land grabbing in Mozambique.
In the northern province of Niassa, Mozambique, one company, Chikweti, set up with investments by Swedish and Norwegian churches and the Dutch pension fund, ABP is establishing large tree plantations. Chikweti not only promised their investors a large financial return, but also claimed it would deliver jobs, environmental protection and community development to the region. It seemed a win-win for everyone.
This documentary follows the story of one of the plantation workers, Amado. He wants to improve the conditions of his fellow workers in the Chikweti plantation of Licole, Mozambique. He’s frightened and often intimidated in pursuit of this goal, while facing an apathetic union, a hardnosed manager, and a group of elders determined to halt his actions.
Commissioned by our friends in the Hands off the Land Alliance, including TNI and FIAN, this is a must see film for anyone exploring how investment by private financial players is undermining food security and human rights in the Global South.