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A Grain of Power : The fields - Mykolaiv, Ukraine 2/6
The second episode of A Grain of Power brings you to Ukraine. More specifically, we get to know the story of farmers in the Southwestern region of Mykolaiv, where families have suffered the destruction of their fields of wheat through bombs and mines. We also discuss the history of the weaponisation of grain through the voice of historian and professor Steven Kaplan.
Through 6 episodes, A Grain of Power is a documentary podcast that takes you on a journey from the heart of Ukraine to the markets of Egypt, passing through Romania, Italy, and Brussels. It explores how an essential commodity – seeds, wheat, bread – has become a weapon of power, playing a crucial role both in the North and the South. Discover how these resources nourish nations, provoke conflicts, and reshape alliances
And you? Would you be willing to fight for a piece of bread?
Narration: Alexander Damiano Ricci
Reporting and field research: Futura D'Aprile and Diana Lanovets
Author: Futura D'Aprile
English adaptation: Futura D’Aprile
Editor-in-chief: Alexander Damiano Ricci
Original soundtrack: Epidemic Sound
Original Sound Editing: Jeremy Bocquet
Sound editing and mixing English version: Daniel Gutierrez Ortega
Thumbnail illustration: Watermelon Collective
Production: Futura D'Aprile and Diana Lanovets
Executive producer: Ana Ribera
Production coordinator: Alexander Damiano Ricci
A Grain of Power is a six-episode documentary series produced by Europod and Outriders, as part of the WePod project, funded by the European Union.
This podcast is co-produced by Europod.
Subscribe to Europod • English for even more podcasts, and follow us on Linkedin and Instagram.
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