Sri
Lanka’s Broken Dreams
SBS
Australia | 28min
Postproduction script
1.
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VIDEO |
AUDIO |
2.
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Slo mo Leaf with light leaks Slow mo
sequence of tea being cut into bowls |
HERMAN The story goes that the Chinese mandarins
5000 years ago are said to have employed virgins to cut the white tea with
golden scissors. It is said to have fallen into a golden bowl. Herman: they say that the only part of the
human anatomy that it touched were the lips |
3.
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At 2000 Australian dollars per kilo, Virgin white tea, is the
finest and one of the most expensive organic products in the world |
4.
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Herman:
a tea untouched by hand so why not to say that it's also untouched by any
kind of chemical input. So it has a certain allure among the
sophisticated Western world |
5.
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Fruit and veg shots - |
But
what would happen if all our food was organic? Would we be healthier? Could we afford it?
|
6.
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And
how can something as harmless as organic food – SFX:
Boom Heavy
music kicks in lead to this.... |
7.
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SRI LANKA-CRISISNIGHT-UPDATE_2022-04-01T044944Z_1_LWD885401042022RP1_RTRWNEV_C_8854-SRI-LANKA-CRISIS-NIGHT-UPDATE
@ 00:02:47:07 |
Angry mob Guy yelling with fire behind
him Bus on fire |
8.
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TITLE: |
SRI LANKA’S ORGANIC DREAM |
9.
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SUPER: Australia Overlay of Sydney Markets_Sept 2o21
Master |
In
Australia, when it comes to food, we’re spoilt for choice. But
consumers are becoming a bit fussier …. and they’re demanding change. |
10. |
Hannah IV in coolroom Hannah looking at fruit and vege |
Hannah I
think COVID, it's forced everyone to think about their health
definitely. And what we eat and how it's produced is a big part of
that. For nearly 6 decades the Cathels
family have been selling produce. Hannah is the 3rd generation in this
business. |
11. |
Hannah driving in orchard |
But in recent years they’ve
turned their focus to organic. |
12. |
Hannah driving though orchard |
Hannah: We branched out into organic produce because there was demand
for it. Consumers are telling their retailers they want to buy it, and they
were telling us that there was demand for it in the market. Upsot: Hannah getting out of car |
13. |
|
Hannahs uncle, |
14. |
Ian and Hannah in orchard |
Ian: Really the reason to trial
organics was to Will: So
was it a financial decision? Ian: Oh, yes. Everyone laughs |
15. |
Text on screen TEXT: Australia owns 53% of eth worlds organic farmland |
According to Woolworths – demand for organic food has
grown by 30% in the past 3 years. The Australian industry is worth an estimated $2.3
billion dollars and that’s tipped to double by 2025. |
16. |
Slo mo black berries |
But
for the Cathels, the benefits of organic go way
beyond the bank account. |
17. |
Slo mo black berries |
Hannah: Hannah: |
18. |
|
But with the Organic market accounting for just 2% of
all fresh produce sales in Australia, it’s still a niche. So an entire country going organic would be impossible,
right….. or would it? |
19. |
SRI LANKA
GOES ORAGNIC |
|
20. |
Drone / mountains streams SUPER: Sri Lanka FILE: Speech by President Gotabaya
Rajapaksa at the COP 26 Side Event in Glasgow, Scotland, UK 31.10.2021 |
Humans must be in sync with nature, rather than work against it. We
require a new agricultural revolution that has sustainability at its core. |
21. |
FILE: SBS_ID_6606697 |
In 2019
Sri Lankas president Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power.
Ruling alongside his brother the prime minister - Mahinda Rajapaksa.
His presidential campaign centred around a green vision - that included turning the country organic within 10 years.
But in
April 2021....he made a bold move |
22. |
FILE: Sri Lanka Bans Artificial
Fertilizers and Agrochemicals, president’s address_1080p.mp4 |
NEWS UPSOT:
Pres. Rajapaksa: |
23. |
D7 @ Markets |
And like that country became 100%
organic, overnight. Upsot of some description |
24. |
Kids playing in water Empty beach Sequence of Guy unloading tuck full of
“fertilizer” |
But
this decision wasn’t entirely about saving the planet…. The pandemic took an estimated 3.6 billion dollars out
of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector And...subsidising
chemical fertilizers for farmers was costing the government 400 million us dollars
a year Many experts also believed these fertlizers were being overused, causing serious health
problems So going organic was an attempt to save
lives, the environment, and the economy. |
25. |
Dr Ranil 5 mins |
|
26. |
D6_Drone |
It caught many off-guard But for others, this was the moment
they’d been waiting for |
27. |
Fogy hills and farm |
Ranil: |
28. |
Sequence Ranil walking through forest |
Dr Ranil Senanayake is an ecologist
and organic guru He was one of the first students to
formally study organic agriculture at Berkley California in 1971 But when he brought his ideas back
to sri lanka – he was shunned Ranil: |
29. |
|
But Ranil had a vision -
to create farms that would complement the natural environment rather than
work against it |
30. |
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Ranil You can see the problem. The people get onto these hillsides and they just work it so that it just erodes
down constantly and you can see that there's hardly any cover. Ranil: |
31. |
|
According to Ranil, forest and farms go
hand in hand.
This place used to be
a degraded tea estate. He’s spent the past 30 years, transforming it - planting every
tree and literally building it from the ground up. |
32. |
Actuality Will following Ranil |
Short Upsot:
Ranil walking along path Will: Did you build all these
stairs? Ranil: Everything here mate, everything. |
33. |
Walking onto farm
|
Will: what's the importance of
this, this place here? Ranil: here is a demonstration.
Because most farmers don't believe that they can have a diverse farm with
different crops, all integrated and make it a commercial success. Ranil: Now we have farmers who
have their own farms who are coming here and working with us to learn how to
develop further their farms to become like this |
34. |
Will and Ranil walking through Farm |
RANIL SUPPORTS A WIDER SHIFT TO ORGANIC
FARMING. HE SAYS MODERN AGRICULTURE HAS GONE TOO FAR DOWN THE WRONG TRACK |
35. |
Master IV – thought track Sequence of Ranil looking garden |
Ranil: It got to
lost to another language, the language of science, which did not take the
time to look at the values of traditional agriculture, but |
36. |
EXPLAINER FILE: SBS_ID_ POND 5 – Bullock pulling plough 105499320_bullock Pond 5 – Farmers spraying 075000290_Farmrs spraying |
In the 1960’s Agriculture across the globe went through a revolution. A transformation driven by technology and agro
chemicals in a bid to have worldwide food security. These chemicals, mainly derived from fossil fuels have made
farming more efficient and profitable - requiring less labour and land to feed the world’s population. But it’s signalled a shift away from traditional knowledge |
37. |
Master IV |
Ranil: |
38. |
Ranil talking to farmers. |
|
39. |
SUBS
|
Ranil: Come , let's go to see the
liquid fertiliser. Now what have you put in there? A mix of leaves. Stripy shirt: That one is fish. Ranil: Smells terrible! |
40. |
Ranil
looking at liquid fertiliser |
It’s a mixture of the two
fermented liquids to fertilise our crops and it works wonderfully |
41. |
|
When chemical fertilisers were
banned -
educating farmers on the alternatives became the key to implementing Sri
Lankas organic dream. |
42. |
SUBS |
|
43. |
SUBS |
Farmer
1: We must teach people and make them use it. We give them small amounts of
this to try and see. And the people
like this. Farmer 2: So
I tell them not to waste their money. Prepare something like this for
free. Both farmers: The costs is
less. - It's good for us. - It costs only our labour. And we get sick less because
there are no chemicals! |
44. |
Farmers talking to Will Sequence of same farmers spreading
fertiliser |
The
concerns surrounding chemicals and sickness was one of the main reasons
President Rajapaksa pulled the trigger on this bold plan. Sri Lanka
has one of the highest rates of chronic kidney disease in the world And many, Ranil included, point the finger squarely at the
overuse of agro chemicals. |
45. |
|
Ranil: |
46. |
GAMINI |
The hurt |
47. |
Eerie drone shots over rice
fields. - DJI_0013.MP4 SUPER: Polonnaruwa province |
*breath* I’m heading to the heartland of sri lanka’s rice growing
industry Estimates suggest almost 23% of the
population here have Chronic kidney disease. |
48. |
Hospital sign Gamini leaving hospital |
|
49. |
THOUGHT TRACK SUBS
Gamini in Tuk
Tuk SL_WR_D2_5D |
GAMINI: My name is Gamini Ariyaratne. I’m 62
years and I work as a rice farmer. My
father did rice farming. Then myself. I’m the second generation. I am proud that I became a farmer. However, I regret of the present
circumstances. |
50. |
EXT house SUBS Girl
scraping coconut |
GAMINIS
WIFE: Daughter! Come here a minute and scrape some coconut. |
51. |
SUBS Gamini and
wife in kitchen |
WIFE - So what
happened today? GAMINI - I
went. As usual, Doctor looked at the report. report was normal. They gave the
previous medication as usual and asked me to take and then come in one
month's time. That was it. WIFE - did
they say anything else? GAMINI - Nothing
special |
52. |
Lose the
shot of the cat – they are horrible creatures. |
Gamini has chronic kidney
disease. It causes high blood pressure, fatigue and nerve damage and if not
managed properly – it could lead to kidney failure, dialysis
and death. |
53. |
SUBS Sequence Gamini taking tablets |
GAMINI - It was diagnosed in 2012. I went to
do the examination because I felt some discomfort and fatigue in my body.
There were some rumours circulating associating this area with kidney
disease. |
54. |
WS Will question |
Will;
So how does your dads condition affect him? |
55. |
Gaminis daughter SUBS |
GAMINIS
DAUGHTER: Father used to be a hard worker. Because of the condition now, it
is difficult for him to work. |
56. |
Will reverse question to Gamini |
Will:
What do you think is causing your kidney condition? |
57. |
Gamini |
My belief is that this
has a link with the water mineral content. However I
believe that fertiliser is not poison. Fertilisers are not poison.
fertilisers have chemical positive content. But I believe that fertiliser is
not poison. |
58. |
Sequence Gamini walking out of home
and getting on his bike |
What’s causing the rise in kidney disease here is
inconclusive. But
according to the World Health Organisation, the main
suspects are ground water pollution and agrochemicals. |
59. |
|
Gamini: see
you later |
60. |
Gamini riding his bike on the road |
But Gamini says there’s something
having a much greater impact on his health, family… and future. And that’s the country’s move to organic farming. The government had promised to distribute organic alternatives to
the banned fertilizers, but there wasn’t enough to go around |
61. |
Gamini walking through rice field |
Meaning many crops were sown
without. |
62. |
Will and Gamini in rice paddy |
Will: So Gamini tell me what’s wrong with this crop here, what’s
the problem? |
63. |
SUBS |
Gamini Now, take this plant. This is less in height. There is less growth. Growth is less means
less nutritional intake. There is less nitrogen. If the growth is less, then the yield is less. |
64. |
Cu rice in flower |
Up until
now, Sri Lanka has long been self-sufficient in rice production. But after
this harvest, that’s in doubt. |
65. |
SUBS |
WILL: What kind of losses are we looking at this year? Fifty Fifty! WILL: Fifty
percent loss? Loss. |
66. |
|
WILL So do you blame the chemical ban for this drop in yield? |
67. |
GAMINI IN FIELD |
Yes.
Assume we have to feed little babies to grow. If
there is less feed, babies will suffer from malnutrition. Cultivation of
crops is very similar to that. We are furious! Angry! Not just me - but all the farmers who
cultivated here are angry! We became angry! Farmers made a request
not to do such a thing! We went on rallies protesting not to implement this
step! |
68. |
File footage of protests. Protests on tractors Farmer singing
|
For weeks,
Gamini and farmers from across the country protested They burnt
effigies of the agriculture minister - riling against this decision to
turn them organic with no transition time, education or even fertilizer alternatives. UPSOT guy singing/wailing “for the farmer who provide rice for the entire country,
the rulers left them in a helpless juncture by not providing fertilizer. With crops
failing and around 25% of the country employed by agriculture - farmers like
Gamini are facing an uncertain future. |
69. |
|
Will: Will
would you encourage the next generation to take up farming? |
70. |
Ext Gamini house |
Gamini: What
is the point of someone cannot make a living out of it! It is regrettable if we tell our children to abandon this
vocation. It is synonymous with... giving up life
itself. |
71. |
AD BREAK |
|
72. |
HERMAN |
I told you
so |
73. |
Colombo street scene |
I’m in Sri Lanka –
a country THAT recently banned
all synthetic agrochemicals, in a bid to go 100% organic. But with failing crops, rising
food costs and a quarter of the nation dependent on agriculture… the fall out
is reaching beyond the fields and into the towns and cities
. Upsot: kids playing cricket |
74. |
STREET SECNE IN COLOMBO A group of people playing bingo in the street SUBS |
Old Lady: Now people have
nothing to eat! They say there is no fertiliser and now there is no water. No
water! No Petrol! No anything. Everything is finished. The
reason is the people in the government! Those bigwigs! |
75. |
|
|
76. |
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Will PTC: so this is Petta
markets in the heart of Colombo, I want to go in and se
what people really think about the countries drive to be 100% organic. |
77. |
|
Upsot guy yelling: |
78. |
|
Every item is expensive now. What is low? It
is difficult to live. |
79. |
NEW SUB |
The prices are very high. It’s very difficult
to get vegetables |
80. |
SUB |
So less harvest has impacted the whole Sri Lankan people. That is the reason prices have gone up. Today this problem has caused enormous issues. |
81. |
|
The
policy is now hitting the hip pocket, of all Sri Lankans. despite
concerns raised by the nations best and brightest. |
82. |
Master IV Herman |
Herman: I want it
recorded, that we responsibly, decline to support the country in this
Endeavor to go organic. |
83. |
Drone
tea plantation Woman
picking tea |
Representing
almost 70% of the country’s agricultural exports, Tea is easily Sri Lankas
most famous and valuable crop. |
84. |
WS will meet and greet Herman |
Upot: knock knock Herman: Come in. Will: Hi Herman, thanks for
having me Herman: No problem |
85. |
Rings bell his desk |
And within
the industry, Herman Gunaratne is royalty. Upsot @ - “rings
bell” Herman: David! Can I get some
more tea please? |
86. |
Pictures on the wall |
Hermans the former head of Dilmah and personal friend
of President Rajapaksa – he’s been in the tea game for over 50 years and
pulls no punches. |
87. |
Master
IV |
Herman: it has a
certain allure among the sophisticated Western world who are not grounded in reality at all. You know, they are living in the clouds. Herman: No country in the world has gone entirely organic while
they were advising Sri Lanka to go organic. |
88. |
D4 Drone |
Herman has
skin in the game. Because the
product he’s most famous for is actually organic. |
89. |
Herman in shop |
Herman This
is Virgin White as you can see, it's very light in colour. and in my opinion,
this is the only tea in the world that is completely untouched by human
hands. |
90. |
Drone: Will and Herman walk and talk |
breath Herman:
the white tea puckers are somewhere there Will:
This is the virgin white tea here? Herman:
Yes,
You'll need a trained eye to distinguish the
right. Will:
You definitely do. I didn't, I didn't pick that. |
91. |
|
At 2000 Australian dollars per
kilo, this is one of
the most expensive teas in the world. |
92. |
|
Will:
Why is it organic? Herman:
It's a
it's a complete package that we’re offering, a tea untouched by hand
so why not to say that it's also untouched by any kind of chemical input. I
mean, I am trying to say. Organic is fashionable. Shall I say that all the
Columbo seven ladies and the rich ladies in Australia would like to drink
organic stuff and eat and consume organic food |
93. |
WS will and Herman walking away
Funny awkward moment Will walks out of shot Herman lingers in shot then walks away. |
Will:
On a personal note, what does tea mean to you? Herman:
My whole life. I mean, everything I've done, I've done with tea, and I must
say I haven't done too bad, you know? ***both
laugh *** Herman:
Mm hmm. OK. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. |
94. |
herman walking |
Upsot: David, get some tea for these people Herman
knows what it takes to grow organic tea. Upsot: thank you will… come come |
95. |
|
He was
briefly on the taskforce overseeing the countries organic transition. |
96. |
Will reverse question |
Herman:
Will:
Would you say that very thig you warned the president about has come true? Herman: Herman: |
97. |
PRESIDENTS BACKFLIP |
|
98. |
Sequences of rice harvesting in field |
After sustained protests, failed harvests and sky high inflation…. Just 7 months after the decision to go organic, President
Rajapaksa backflipped and allowed chemicals back into the country. But subsides have not been reinstated. And the government has offered 200 million in compensation to
farmers. But that’s a pittance what the country’s lost. |
99. |
Gamini Master IV
|
Gamini: So the step to save 400 Million
Dollars has led to a loss of 2.4 billion dollars to the country! Will: Is organic a dirty word now? GAMINI: People simply hate the word organic! This whole notion of
organic has now become disgusting to people! 2 |
100.
|
FILE: SRI
LANKA-CRISISNIGHT_2022-03-31T205929Z_1_LWD879531032022RP1_RTRWNEV_C_8795-SRI-LANKA-CRISIS-NIGHT 01:40: guys ith fire 0:32: guy yelling at cops 2:05 – sign 0:16 – rocking bus Bus on fire SRI
LANKA-CRISISNIGHT-UPDATE_2022-04-01T044944Z_1_LWD885401042022RP1_RTRWNEV_C_8854-SRI-LANKA-CRISIS-NIGHT-UPDATE.mp4
Good fire footage 00:02:18:16 – police whacks
a guy |
Sri Lanka is in the grips of it’s worst financial crisis in
70 years Foreign reserves are running out and so
are food supplies, medicine and fuel Protests have turned to deadly
riots. With tear
gas fired at angry crowds With
violence erupting nationwide the prime minister has resigned And
the presidency of his younger brother hangs by a thread The
shift to organic wasn’t the only action fuelling this crisis – but it's
played a part and it will take a long time for Sri Lanka… and it’s
farmers…to recover. |
101.
|
RANIL WRAP |
|
102.
|
Will Ranil Master IV |
Will: So given everything you've been
working for here, how did it feel to Will: Ranil: |
103.
|
Rani getting into car |
In defiance, or perhaps defence of this organic tragedy, Ranils asked me to visit the farm of one of his very
first l students, Ah-tool-ah |
104.
|
Ranil in car driving to Athula |
Ranil: he branched out on his own and he created an organic
farm, and it became extremely successful organic farmer supplying vegetables
into the city |
105.
|
|
About 80% of
Sri Lankas farms are around this size, it’s a shade under 5 acres. |
106.
|
Ranil walking into farm - meets and old guy he knows from
the community SUBS |
M1 Right. Here we are. Ranil: Greetings! After a long time! You are looking after it
well. It looks beautiful. 0These people have come from Australia! |
107.
|
Following Ranil and farmer |
Although the Australian and Sri Lankan organic landscape is
vastly different - the motives and indicators for success are the same. |
108.
|
Will chatting to Ranil |
Ranil: Look around, see the people engaged, the laborers, the
people being paid and speak to the operators of these farms. Athula has been making a profit off these farms over ten
years. Will: Is it scalable to large scale agriculture? Ranil: This, in the Sri Lankan context. Is large scale what you're seeing now in the Sri Lankan context
is large scale if this is repeated over and over and over
again it means more and more jobs and more and more clean production. |
109.
|
D6 Drone |
Like many, Ranil hopes that last year is just a disastrous step
in the right direction. And that a transition to organic is possible if farmers are
given the resources and time to change. |
110.
|
ALT END GRABS Master IV Will noddy |
Ranil:
|