Food Sovereignty for Barbados

Hi everyone! My name is Cloe Fortin. I am a geographer and visual storyteller from Alma, Canada. I first moved to Barbados in January 2020, where I studied at University of the West Indies (UWI) and met inspiring Bajans that told me about the fascinating history of Barbados and the many environmental challenges it faces. Looking to help make the island more resilient, I decided to devote my master's research project to the food system of Barbados.

Although many crops can be grown on this tropical island with plenty of agricultural land, Barbados imports nearly 90% of its food. This is precarious when the economy and major trade routes are increasingly affected by sanitary crises, political conflicts and climate change. Poor diets are also a heavy burden in Barbados, as one in three adults is hypertensive and one in five diabetic.

To understand the causes of this situation and raise awareness about the dangers and solutions, I interviewed Bajans on food and agriculture and collaborated with many farmers and local organizations such as Slow Food Barbados, Coco Hill Forest and the Biocultural Education and Research Programme.

To share my findings to a wide audience, I had planned to make a short documentary film and release it online for free. But to do justice to the vivid testimonies of over 30 participants of the research, I had to produce a feature film (70 minutes), and it seemed like an in-person screening would be a better way to celebrate everyone's efforts. The film, called Food What? Looking for Food Sovereignty in Barbados, premiered in Barbados on Wednesday, September 27th, 2023, at the Walcott Warner Theater (Errol Barrow Center for Creative Imagination) at UWI Cave Hill. This event was also important to provide a wonderful opportunity to further the discussion on the food system after the film, where some participants and myself had a Q&A session with the audience.

Since sharing the trailer (over 5,500 views) and screening the film in Barbados and the US, in film festivals, conferences and schools, the project has garnered enthusiasm around the world, as many other small countries face similar challenges with their food system. The film also received a Finalist Award in the Best Film About A Social Issue Category at the 2023 Student World Impact Film Festival, was selected at the Ceres Food Film Festival, which took place in NYC in October 2023, and at the Green Screen Environmental Film Festival, taking place in Trinidad in November 2023. Thanks to the organization Villes-Régions-Monde and the Lien Social et Politique magazine, the film was also screened with French subtitles in Montreal on November 21st and 22nd, 2023. The next screening will take place at the Sage in Barbados on January 24th, 2024.

I am very happy that the film project grew beyond what I had planned, but of course this means more costs. So far, I funded the film myself through student grants and personal loans, and a lot of volunteer work. All of the interviewees, as well as the narrator, Richard White, and the musician who created the original score, Marley Kirton, also volunteered their precious time. Since I have graduated recently, I don't access student benefits anymore and need to repay my loans, so I am unable to fund the project by myself any further.

I am therefore looking for financial partners to help distributing the film. Beyond the Barbados premiere in September, more screenings would be useful to reach more farming communities across the island. I would also love to show the film on other Caribbean islands and in other regions of the world facing similar issues. Indeed, many colonized territories still suffer from the impacts of the global food system (high dependence to external markets, malnutrition, loss of traditional knowledge and lifestyles), from the Caribbean to Africa, to the South Pacific. To bridge the gap between French and English-speaking territories, I am creating a version with French subtitles.

Please help me ensure that this film gets the visibility it deserves. It was always my wish to offer free entry to all screenings and free streaming online, but that isn't possible without sponsors.

Please share this campaign through your network, and invite your friends, colleagues and family to the screenings. Feel free to contact me for questions, or to organize a screening at your institution.

Here’s a breakdown of the overall costs for the film (approximate, in Canadian Dollars):

As per the rules of GoFundMe, no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to GoFundMe campaigns. However, your donations helped offering free entry to the Barbados premiere for participants to the film, cover the fees for the theater, and bring this film and discussion to the world.