Resilience Food Stories

Oct 15

Since 2017, photographer/filmmaker Ruud Sies and his partner Hanneke van Hintum, creative producer, have been travelling the world to photograph, document, and make short films about farmers and gardeners who produce healthy food working in harmony with nature.

Ruud and Hanneke started the Resilience Food Stories Foundation with the support of Koppert, world market leader in sustainable solutions for crop protection and natural pollination. RFS has now accumulated 150 personal stories of farmers and food scientists from 5 continents and 21 countries, including 2,000 photographs and 15 hours of video.

RFS aims to open people’s eyes to the connection between the beauty of landscapes, the prosperity and happiness of farmers, the quality of our food, our health, and the role of food production in climate change. RFS starts with respect for farmers and their vital role in land management and food production. The Foundation works to move the needle — helping farmers, policymakers, and consumers understand their role in sustainable food production, distribution, and consumption. Only by working together can these groups effect real change.

So far, RFS has generated a library of visual and written materials that is truly unique. In the coming years, RFS will invest in targeted distribution involving digital and physical channels including social media, an improved website, a full-colour photo book, and a travelling exhibition. They will also organise and participate in congresses and seminars around the world on food production and the climate crisis.

This is a turning point for RFS as they move from collecting stories to disseminating them using multiple channels. To do this, they needed to broaden their base of income. We helped Hanneke and Ruud by advising them on income generation, internal structuring, and business focus.