Green Screen looks at food security, technology

FOOD security and technology will be in focus in the first of two online discussions on issues brought into focus by covid19.

The online panel will be hosted by Green Screen Film Festival on Facebook Live on October 15 at 7 pm.

It will feature Agyei Arche, design director and co-founder/CEO at Unqueue App, Alpha Sennon of WhyFarm, Brigette Joseph, an executive chef consultant and international food safety auditor, and RisAnne Martin, fashion and costume designer and youth mentor.

Festival director Carver Bacchus said in a media release: "The pandemic is a dress rehearsal for what is coming with climate change. We can learn a lot about how we will fare in the next 50 years by how we deal with the next few months of continued uncertainty. Which is why we’re so pleased to be hosting these panels with participants who are leading innovators in their respective fields.

"In his budget presentation the Honourable Minister of Finance announced a 70 per cent year-on-year increase in the annual budgetary allocation for agriculture. We’re keen to see how this increase acknowledges and mitigates for the risks to agriculture that are directly associated with climate change. Our panel will also be delving into the question of how technology can help to make our food systems more secure and sustainable."

The themes of the discussions are based on the categories of this year’s Very Short Shorts Mobile Film competition, which has the overall theme The New Normal.

The second panel discussion takes place on October 22 and will focus on Transportation and Energy.

"Through Green Screen we hope to address ideas of sustainability and how the creative industries have an important role to play in raising public consciousness," Bacchus said.

Green Screen, the only environmentally-themed film festival in TT, will take place fully online for its tenth anniversary at the end of October. This year’s festival is being hosted with the support of lead sponsor, the National Gas Company and supporting sponsor, SWMCOL.

All films are free to view at www.greenscreen.film