Making an idea a reality at Imperial

Jackie Turner (MSc Ecological Applications 2017) is part of a team of seven Imperial alumni who are currently involved in making a documentary called Bananageddon – supported by the Imperial College Exploration Board.

The film aims to transform the way we think about banana agriculture and educate us about the more sustainable methods of production which will ensure long-term food security.

"I’ve had this film in my mind since I spent some time living on a commercial banana plantation back in 2011.  I managed to convince six other ecologists and biologists at Imperial to accompany me on my quest to make this film."

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My Imperial experience

I studied an MSc in Ecological Applications on Imperial’s Silwood Park Campus. 

My thesis focused on a particular species of banana, native to Ethiopia, called Enset, which feeds about 20 million people. I researched its geographic distribution.

While living on campus, I also started trail running. I found running in the mornings to be a great way to clear my head and approach problems with a fresh perspective. In fact, my favourite place at Imperial are the trails behind Silwood Park.

I also have some great memories from my kitchen in William Penney at Silwood Park Campus. The community there is amazing, and you find yourself surrounded by great people who have a similar mindset, strong opinions and great chat, so those late evenings flew by.

About Bananageddon

Bananageddon is all about informing consumers of the variety of bananas out there and the alternative systems of production being used by small farmers to produce them. We want to pressure the food system to make these alternative bananas available to everyone.

I’ve had this film in my mind since I spent some time living on a commercial banana plantation back in 2011.

I managed to convince six other ecologists and biologists at Imperial College London to accompany me on my quest to make this film, and our plan is to shoot it over six weeks this winter in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. 

We’re hoping to build a community of people around this film who care about the environment, small-scale agriculture, and a better future for bananas.

Our pitch for this project to the Imperial College Exploration Board was really intense, and it occurred at the least ideal time of the year for us, but the whole documentary team stepped up and made it happen.