Austrian artist Klaus Pichler's photography exhibition “Grown to be Thrown in the Trash”, drawing attention to food waste, was opened at İzmir Sanat. President attending the inauguration Tunç SoyerStating that one third of the food that can feed millions of people who are struggling with hunger is wasted, he said, "The work we carry out to increase the welfare in our city and ensure its fair distribution aims to solve this problem."
The photography exhibition titled “Grown to be Thrown in the Trash”, hosted by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and jointly organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the TR Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, was opened at Izmir Art. İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor for the opening of Austrian artist Klaus Pichler's exhibition of 32 photographs depicting the decay of food and waste in parallel with it. Tunç Soyer, United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Central Asia Sub-Regional Coordinator and Turkey Representative Viorel Gutu, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General Ertuğrul Tugay, TR Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry representatives, İzmir Metropolitan Municipality bureaucrats, FAO representatives and art lovers. .
Soyer: “One third of the food produced is wasted”
According to the report published by FAO in 2011, more than 820 million people in the world suffer from hunger. Tunç Soyer“This number is increasing every day. Moreover, there is a much more striking fact revealed in the same report. One third of the food produced is wasted because of our choices and during the distribution of food. Can you imagine? One-third of the food that could reach and feed millions of people struggling with poverty and hunger goes to waste. And this sad situation is happening in front of our eyes because of our second choice. There is a saying in Anatolia for this: Let the arts not decrease, let them overflow. This saying tells us how valuable each grain of wheat produced, each drop of milk is. At the same time, instead of a production model that grows wildly, it describes a life that multiplies with abundance and where prosperity is shared fairly. The work we carry out to increase the welfare in our city and ensure its fair distribution is aimed at solving this problem," he said.
“We will either become victims of our selfishness and greed or…”
President Soyer emphasized the need to be united in order to prevent waste and said, “We determine the future of our world. We will either get lost on a poor planet driven into disaster as a victim of our selfishness and greed, or we will exist together with the spirit of solidarity without wasting a bite. That's why we take steps with the awareness that every seed we plant today is a legacy that will be passed on to our children. We are strengthening the circular economy of İzmir by fighting drought and poverty at the same time with İzmir Agriculture. We support our small producer and deliver affordable and safe food to millions of our citizens in the city. With our vision of another agriculture possible, we are revealing the methods of establishing a strong agricultural economy in Turkey again.”
Gutu: “This exhibition aims to attract people's attention”
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Central Asia Sub-Regional Coordinator and Turkey Representative Viorel Gutu said: “Food waste is an issue that should concern and concern all humanity. It brings great burdens in terms of environment, economy and society. Food that is produced and not consumed; means that resources such as land, water and energy are also wasted. All actors and stakeholders must be involved in the struggle. This exhibition aims to draw people's attention to food waste.”
Visit after the exhibition
After the opening of the exhibition, FAO Central Asia Sub-Regional Coordinator and Turkey Representative Dr. Viorel Gutu, Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyervisited him in his office. FAO Deputy Representative of Turkey Dr. Ayşegül Selışık, National Coordinator of the Project on Reducing Food Loss and Waste in Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Turkey Nuray Akan Yaltıraklı, Food Loss and Waste-Value Chain and Partnerships Specialist Aslıhan Denge and National Communications Specialist Özlem Türktan Yener attended.
“You can think of İzmir as a laboratory city”
Stating that agriculture is directly related to food security and it is related to health, President Soyer said, “All these are related to each other. The aim of the agricultural policies pursued by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality is to combat the climate crisis, protect water and expand the farmer's purse. We prepare our projects at this scale. That's why the producer in İzmir is happy. We are open to the projects you suggest. You can think of Izmir as a laboratory city,” he said.
Solutions must be found together
Dr. Viorel Gutu drew attention to water consumption and said, “We use 10 percent of the water at home and the rest in agriculture. The most important point we focus on is the solution of waste. We will come up with solutions for this together. Farmers also need to be convinced on all these issues," he said.
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