The complex dynamics of agriculture as a financial asset: introduction to a symposium

The contemporary process of financialization has been a major driver of the remarkable changes witnessed in global food and agricultural markets over the past decade, contributing to the rise and subsequent volatility of food and agricultural commodity prices since 2006. In the wake of these developments it has become clear that the turmoil has intensified the relationship between agriculture and finance in ways that have profound and enduring implications for the sector, and the people whose lives and livelihoods depend upon it. This symposium brings together four original research articles that contemplate the contemporary relationship between the agrifood and financial sectors. They examine a variety of overlapping themes, including the creation of financial assets from farmland and agricultural commodities, the activities of different types of investors in these assets in specific geographic contexts, and the challenges of governing this activity at the global scale. These articles show that the period of market volatility that began a decade ago reinvigorated investor interest in financial products linked to agriculture and farming, and inspired the packaging of new farms of financial assets in ways that have affected politics and practice on the ground, and are likely to leave a lasting legacy

Keeping secrets from parents: Longitudinal associations of secrecy in adolescence

Contains fulltext : 55705.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)A 2-wave survey study among 1173 10-14-year-olds tested the longitudinal contribution of secrecy from parents to psychosocial and behavioral problems in adolescence. Additionally, it investigated a hypothesized contribution of secrecy from parents to adolescent development by examining its relation with self-control. Results showed that keeping secrets from parents is associated with substantial psychosocial and behavioral disadvantages in adolescence even after controlling for possible confounding variables, including communication with parents, trust in parents, and perceived parental supportiveness. Contrary to prediction, secrecy was also negatively associated with feelings of self-control. Secrecy from parents thus appears to be an important risk factor for adolescent psychosocial well-being and behavioral adjustment.12 p

The rise of flex crops and commodities: implications for research

As a concept and phenomenon, ‘flex crops and commodities’ feature ‘multiple-ness’ and ‘flexible-ness’ as two distinct but intertwined dimensions. These key crops and commodities are shaped by the changing global context that is itself remoulded by the convergence of multiple crises and various responses. The greater multiple-ness of crops and commodity uses has altered the patterns of their production, circulation and consumption, as novel dimensions of their political economy. These new patterns change the power relations between landholders, agricultural labourers, crop exporters, processors and traders; in particular, they intensify market competition among producers and incentivize changes in land-tenure arrangements. Crop and commodity flexing have three main types – namely, real flexing, anticipated/speculative flexing and imagined flexing; these have many intersections and interactions. Their political-economic dynamics involve numerous factors that variously incentivize, facilitate or hinder the ‘multiple-ness’ and/or ‘flexible-ness’ of particular crops and commodities. These dynamics include ‘flex narratives’ by corporate and state institutions to justify promotion of a flex agenda through support policies. In particular, a bioeconomy narrative envisages a future ‘value web’ developing more flexible value chains through more interdependent, interchangeable products and uses. A future research agenda should investigate questions about material bases, real-life changes, flex narratives and political mobilization

Agroecology in Canada: Towards an Integration of Agroecological Practice, Movement, and Science

This article surveys the current state of agroecology in Canada, giving particular attention to agroecological practices, the related social movements, and the achievements of agroecological science. In each of these realms, we find that agroecology emerges as a response to the various social and ecological problems associated with the prevailing industrial model of agricultural production that has long been promoted in the country under settler colonialism. Although the prevalence and prominence of agroecology is growing in Canada, its presence is still small and the support for its development is limited. We provide recommendations to achieve a more meaningful integration of agroecology in Canadian food policy and practice.Land and Food Systems, Faculty ofNon UBCReviewedFacult

Interaction of Valdecoxib with Beta Cyclodextrin: Experimental and Molecular Modeling Studies

This study aimed to investigate the effect of β-cyclodextrin on aqueous solubility and dissolution rate of valdecoxib and also to get an insight of molecular interactions involved in formation of valdecoxib‐β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex. Phase solubility analysis indicated complex with possible stoichiometry of 1:1 and a stability constant of 234.01 M−1. Thermodynamic studies in water indicated exothermic nature of inclusion complexation.␣Valdecoxib‐β-cyclodextrin complexes (1:1 M) were prepared by kneading method, solution method and␣freeze–drying method. The complex was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffractometry (P-XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance␣(1H-NMR) spectroscopy. Molecular modeling was used to help establish the mode of interaction of β-cyclodextrin with valdecoxib. 1H-NMR analysis suggested that the unsubstituted phenyl ring of valdecoxib display favorable interaction with the hydrophobic cavity of β-cyclodextrin, which was confirmed by molecular dynamic simulations. An inclusion complex model has been established for explaining the observed enhancement of solubility of valdecoxib in water by β-cyclodextrin. Dissolution studies in water showed that the valdecoxib in freeze-dried complex dissolved much faster than the uncomplexed drug and physical mixture. This improvement in dissolution rate is attributed to the increased solubility and wettability due to encapsulation along with decreased crystallanity caused by complex formation, which is evident by DSC and P-XRD studies