In a world where more and more food goes to waste, a group of students in the western Turkish province of Izmir hope to save every edible bite and feed those in need. The students are participating in a project launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to prevent food waste. The "Volunteer Harvest" program takes participants to the fields where producers discard vegetables and fruits that do not "look good" on the stalls of vendors.

From apples that aren't shiny enough to sell to misshaped cucumbers, the volunteers are not picky as long as the produce is fit for consumption. The ministry says there are a number of factors that lead to vegetables and fruits often being left unattended to decay, from demand not matching production levels to the cancelation of orders, not having a big enough workforce to carry out the harvest in time and unpredictable weather. In some cases, laborers pick the "better-looking" fruits and vegetables, leaving the rest behind, often over concerns that retailers will not choose their produce.

The program in Izmir, coordinated by the local branch of the ministry in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Türkiye, the Izmir Commerce Exchange and Ege University, ensures no food in the fields or orchards goes to waste. Students pick fresh produce and deliver it to charities, to address the needs of impoverished people who cannot afford fresh produce.

Organizers of the program first determine the amount of crops left over by producers and schedule a harvest calendar. This year, six harvests were carried out across Izmir, with the participation of students from Ege University's Faculty of Agriculture. The first harvest was on May 21 in the Menderes district, where students picked strawberries in an orchard. It was followed by cherry, melon and cucumber harvests.

Unconfirmed figures show the country wastes more than 11 million tons of food every year. Food waste is a primary global problem during a time of climate change amid a rapid rise in populations in a world with finite resources. The COVID-19 pandemic further prompted fears of a possible food shortage with disruptions in the supply chain and other challenges. Figures from the United Nations show household food waste is estimated at 93 kilograms (205 pounds) per year. This number is 28 kilograms at restaurants. Across the world, 931 million tons of food goes to waste yearly and the majority of it is household food waste.