APN video transcript

(‘actors’ 1,2, and 3 with others watching on).

(1) Namaskar, How are you brother ? I’ve never known anything like this rain this wet season – I saw the official figures - 1944mm in 58 days – raindays they call it – up to today! Can you remember anything like this season with so much rain? Better too much than too little I suppose – but my wife is complaining about it – but she complains about most things these days (shrugs).

(2) Not in my memory brother – but I’m much younger than you are (laughs a little sarcastically)...I will check with my father when I seem him to see if he can remember this amount of rainfall – its seems a lot to me - maybe its connected to this climate change the scientists keep telling us about – I saw something on TV about that the other night..

(1) Well, I see that the ‘seasonal forecast – have you seen this stuff? ((1)) passes a map and some text to (2) - they predict 60mm more rain!.

(2) How do they work that out? I was speaking to a neighbour the other day and he said we would not get anymore rain – and he knows these things.

(1) Brother, I’ve heard enough of your friend’s predictions over the years – even for the cricket! I’m going to listen out for these new official forecasts for a while. If these IMD forecasts are ‘near the mark’ that will put some pressure on our cotton crop – my crop is looking fine at the moment - have you been by to see it? – you must call in.

(2) Mine has been doing well too – but what about disease – are you getting “gasmidge’ (please check this – don’t trust my writing)..

(3) What do you mean brother – we did not get have much disease in the cotton crop last year!

(4) What you all talking about now? My wife’s upset I’m not home for dinner (puts way mobile phone)..

(1).we were saying (while he turns off mobile phone ringing interruption) we’ve have lots of good rain this wet season - but maybe disease will be a real problem, especially if we get much more – and these new forecasts say that we will...

(3) you say brother ‘may be a problem’ – it already is on my farm – I’m sick of it and my labourers are getting more and more lazy every day – how will I cope?

(2) to (3) ‘what are you planning for another crop, friend? Are you planning to plant after this cotton harvest?

(3) ‘good question – well, yes, if these expert weather forecasters are correct – and we had the experts all the way from Delhi IMD and ANGRAU here just a few weeks ago, and they seemed to know what they were talking about – (turns to 1) don’t you agree brother? These experts said right here where we are now that we could have disease problems (Dr Reddy, please name the disease) and, on top of that, that means we could have a wet harvest as well.

(1) well, it’s too hot for me today to think all this through..(he says exhausted) ...where did you say to find this new information?

(2) (hands out some paperwork after much fiddling about)...

(2) right here – shows some paperwork and IMD.....

(1) I sure hope you guys have another good year – sure beats the many drought years – can these experts predict when our seasons are going to be dry as well as wet? – did IMD - is that the correct name friend? – did IMD predict the big droughts?

(3) brother, I don’t know – I think it might be useful to get some copies of some of their past forecasts so we can all get used to these new types of forecasts – what do you reckon?

(1) I suppose so, in the meantime I have a tractor engine to fix – the gearbox has gone...it has been annoying me too long and it takes ages to get the correct parts...how is your wife? And how about your son at college - you hear from him - mine never calls enough – I suspect he is ‘playing up’...

(3) I think he’s going well..My wife is a lot better now after her illness....thanks for asking. ...are you planting maize or carrod this year?

(1) what?

(3) sorry – too much noise – I said are you planting maize or carrod?

(1) well, it depends on the loan I can get - I will have to wait and see...lots of decisions to make in too little time ..have to get into (next major town) – that’s life (shrugs and smiles)..see you later brother..

(3) do you have enough ground water to share?

(4) well, we have enough water to plant a high density crop for a change and also we just have enough to share with our good neighbour and friend....have you heard our Village Leader is now going into State Politics? ...walks away and scene fades away...