Customer Reviews

Starter Pack: From Best Bets To Safety Net

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
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THis is a great movie. It presents many of the issues that can develop during the policy making process. It also provides great insight into agricultural issues in Africa. Highly recommended for those who are interested in how policy making actualy plays out, and also for those interested in international development or agriculture....

I have the opportunity to watch this documentary and it is really well produced. This is a non-biased presentation on how creativity and determination shaped a public policy against famine with outstanding results at Malawi, Africa.

Reading the facts about the "starter pack" policy as I did, does not brings you the opportunity to put faces on the account that a paper brings. Here you will see the story from the side of the farmers, as well from the point of view of academics and government officials. Definitely, a "must-see" for those interested in economic development, agricultural extension service initiatives, and community participation.

Check it!

This documentary was a useful resource in gaining knowledge about the history of the starter pack in Malawi. The film also provided differing professional opinions among its interview subjects. I found this to be refreshing as it helped to prove that this documentary was in fact a documentary and not merely a tool to promote the original intent of the starter pack.

With sixty percent of Malawi's population surviving on less than one dollar per day, this film tells the story of one country's remarkable success in battling famine and starvation. The film's producer, Harvard economist Charles Mann, brings to the screen a decade of experience responding to food emergencies as Food Security Adviser to the Government of Malawi. Colorful field footage captures how a good policy decision to distribute "starter packs" of seed and fertilizer to all small farmers averted famine and massive hunger.

Presenting diverse points of view, this DVD is an excellent tool for teaching students about the challenges of poverty, food insecurity, and policy choice--including how to weigh the tradeoffs among various alternatives. "Starter Pack" illustrates why putting technology in the hands of farmers is a more effective and sustainable policy option than doling out food aid, after a crisis strikes. One of the donors interviewed points out that input distribution to farmers, many of whom are widows, is a much more dignified solution than food hand-outs.

The film paints a nuanced picture of the results of outside intervention. Field anthropologist, Pauline Peters, uncovers the shifting social dynamics in the village, when only the poorest farmers receive the free inputs. Once again, donors' ignorance of the structure of African rural communities thwarts policy success.

Over the past four years, "Starter Pack" has added a valuable real world case to the graduate curriculum at our University's School of Community Economic Development. This film's translation of hard choices into real impact makes it a "must see" for international development practitioners.

Professor Catherine Rielly
International Academic Program Chair
School of Community Economic Development
Southern New Hampshire University