WHEN the Covid-19 pandemic came about in March 2020, a common problem that we saw on our social media feeds was the truckloads of vegetables and fruits that no one would buy from farmers.

The lockdown situation during the pandemic had made it difficult for the farmers to access their usual locations for selling their produce, and their buyers could no longer reach them. And so, truckloads of fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and onions would be left rotting on roads while farmers went home penniless. While community pantries later popped up to help ease the situation, it was still a band-aid solution that was only temporary. The term 'rescue buy' became common, as organizations and individuals advertised these produce on social media in order that farmers would have buyers.