Two short documentaries on biodiversity ecosystem services and climate change, made by Naga women titled “One story, different voices” and “The gift of winter” (8 minutes each) were screened at Hotel Japfü, Kohima, November 13 evening. The films were screened with an aim to create awareness and educate Naga women farmers.
The two documentary films are part of the participatory videos of the 17-day training for Naga women farmers and ALMA members at Khonoma village, some 20 kms away from the state capital. The training was organized was Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), working jointly with partners in India.
GIZ CCA-NER Nagaland state coordinator, Dr. Cressida Jamir, in her address said the main objective of making participatory videos was to disseminate the traditional knowledge of Naga women in farming to others, to exchange knowledge and ideas on how to combat climate change, maintain biodiversity etc. through traditional methods of farming and to replicate these methods. The trainees are from six districts of the state — Mokokchung, Wokha, Peren, Phek and Kohima.
The participatory video making project is aimed at engaging women farmers of Nagaland in an intercommunity dialogue. This was done by using films as a medium. The workshop helped the participants learn how to make a film, starting from deciding on the topic to filming and editing. The resource persons were directors of Glocal Films London, Kerstin Rickermann and Silke Beller, assisted by crew members of Dreamz Unlimited.