Venezuela's socialism of the 21st Century and how its applied, on a large scale, in the Comunal Socialist City Simon Bolivar. Located near the city of Guasdualito, Apure state, the communal city includes over 8000 agricultural families, divided into eight communal complexes, over 115,000 hectares.
By Joe Emersberger and Jeb Sprague , Nov 14th 2011
In this piece, Joe Emersberger and Jeb Sprague discuss filmaker Edward Ellis' documentary "Tierras Libres". The documentary explores the assassinations of peasant-activists killed by hired assassins for trying to implement the government's land reform project and their families' quest for justice within a judicial system that is still controlled in large part by the national elite.
In this video, Fray Silvera talks about how the cooperative started with 100% government support and now they are 80% self managed. Their aim is to be fully self funded and then to help others. They wish to be an example for others to follow by raising consciousness that as campesinos, they can do it themselves. This story, as told by Fray, is inspirational.
Growing Change follows the filmmaker's journey to understand why current food systems leave hundreds of millions of people in hunger. It's a journey to understand how the world will feed itself in the future in the face of major environmental challenges.
PROLESA is a small dairy cooperative in the Venezuelan state of Tachira. It is located in a river delta about 50 kms from San Cristobal. The community is made up of about 250 farming families and 25 of those families are involved in the PROLESA Dairy Cooperative.
By Filmmaker, Edward Ellis, interviewed by Joe Emersberger , Aug 22nd 2011
Joe Emersberger interviews Edward Ellis, director of "Tierras Libres," a documentary on the struggle for land reform in Venezuela. In this interview, Ellis discusses the murders of over 250 peasant activists and the Venezuelan government's response to these human rights abuses.
Ensuring access to affordable meals with good nutritional value, the Venezuelan government opened its 39th affordable restaurant nationally last Monday in the neighborhood of San Jose in the capital city of Caracas.
In this interview with the Ministry of Communication and Information in April, Venezuelan Vice-president Elias Jaua discusses the opposition, the dynamics of the PSUV party and his time as Minister of Agriculture. Jaua has recently been granted some presidential authorities, such as the right to approve expropriations, and would assume the presidency should Chávez become unable to continue governing.
Small-scale farmer Alejandro Esculana is committed to demonstrating to the critics that agroecological farming methods can not only be socially and environmentally successful but can also generate real economic outcomes.
