Educational Media Reviews Online

During a visit to the African region of Mali, American film technician Jock Brandis observed that many of the fields were planted with a soil-depleting cash crop of cotton. The African farmers were aware of the benefits of peanuts – they fix nitrogen into the soil and their high protein content makes peanuts a good food source. But, the villagers told him, it was too difficult to hand husk sun-dried peanuts in large quantities. Brandis told them to grow more peanuts and that he would come back next year with a peanut shelling machine. Unfortunately, no such machine existed on a small scale. So, Brandis spent the year experimenting until he designed a simple and effective sheller out of concrete and steel that cost a mere $10 in materials. Arriving in Mali, it takes a little more trial and error to get the peanut sheller working properly, but once working it is able to shell a large amount of peanuts in very little time. This simple machine has the potential to be used around the world wherever peanuts are being grown.

The story told in Peanuts exemplifies the adage of “Give a man a fish and you’ve fed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you’ve fed him for a lifetime.” Brandis initially pictured the peanut shellers being given to villages, but Ibrahim Togola, head of the Mali Folkecenter for Renewable Energy, said no, show the blacksmiths how to make it, and it will help the local economy as a trade good in addition to encouraging people to plant peanuts.

Although Peanuts follows Brandis story, it also presents a good snapshot of the African villagers he sets out to help. They are shown as hard-working people wanting to help themselves. Some of the scenes specifically discuss the women's roles. Also described are the blacksmiths who are not just metal-workers but also a sort of village shaman.

In addition to the obvious uses in African studies and/or agriculture classes, this video could also be used to stimulate discussions on a variety of topics such as: developing countries, sustainability, health, energy, engineering, appropriate technology.

On a side note, see Brandis’ web site: http://www.peanutsheller.org/