Influence of Support Material on the Structural Evolution of Copper during Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

The copper-catalyzed electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction represents an elegant pathway to reduce CO2 emissions while producing a wide range of valuable hydrocarbons. The selectivity for these products depends strongly on the structure and morphology of the copper catalyst. However, continued deactivation during catalysis alters the obtained product spectrum. In this work, we report on the stabilizing effect of three different carbon supports with unique pore structures. The influence of pore structure on stability and selectivity was examined by high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy and gas chromatography measurements in a micro-flow cell. Supporting particles into confined space was found to increase the barrier for particle agglomeration during 20 h of chronopotentiometry measurements at 100 mA cm−2 resembling long-term CO2 reduction conditions. We propose a catalyst design preventing coalescence and agglomeration in harsh electrochemical reaction conditions, exemplarily demonstrated for the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. With this work, we provide important insights into the design of stable CO2 electrocatalysts that can potentially be applied to a wide range of applications

Spatial price transmission under different policy regimes: A case of maize markets in Kenya

Kenya, like most countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, has continued to be overwhelmed by high and volatile food prices. In an effort to mitigate this problem, the government has implemented various trade and marketing policy instruments. The aim of this study is to examine whether the policies implemented have achieved their desired effects. The results of the study demonstrate a significant difference across the different policy regimes. Higher price transmission and faster dissipation of price shocks are observed under the regime with minimal or no policy interventions. Under policy regimes implemented to mitigate against high food prices, the reverse is true. Policies implemented to mitigate against price hikes resulted in market distortion. For these policies to achieve their desired effects, there is a need for proper consultation and coordination between government institutions, a review of the import ban on GMO foodstuffs, and distribution of the subsidised fertiliser through the private sector

Modelling price formation and dynamics in the Ethiopian maize market

In response to the sharp rise in domestic grain prices of 2008, the Ethiopian government introduced a wide range of policy instruments to tame the soaring domestic food prices. It is generally argued that before embarking on any intervention in domestic grain market, better understanding of price formation and possible scenarios of the dynamic grain market environment is crucial for policymakers to make informed decisions. This study aimed at examining the price formation and dynamics in the Ethiopian maize market. Furthermore, this article empirically investigate spatial maize market linkages and test maize price leadership role in order to understand as to whether or not there is a central maize market that dictate and lead price information flow over regional maize markets in Ethiopia

Testing price leadership role in major regional maize markets in Ethiopia

The central market hypothesis or price leadership role is an important concept of market integration, and it has relevant policy implications because it simplifies market price monitoring and intervention in the grain market. Knowledge about the presence of a central market and its price dynamic effects on satellite markets will assist the effectiveness of food assistance and other humanitarian food price support interventions. This is of particular interest to constant food aid recipients such as Ethiopia. This article intends to empirically investigate as to whether or not there is a central maize market that dictate and lead price information flow over the regional wholesale maize markets in Ethiopia. If such dominant maize market exists, then how does its price affect the maize grain prices of major regional wholesale maize markets in Ethiopia? The extended VAR procedure of Toda and Yamamoto Granger Causality approach is used to test the central maize market hypothesis. Furthermore, we use the system of seemingly unrelated regression model to examine the effects of the central market price on three wholesale regional maize market prices in Ethiopia. The results indicate that Addis Ababa wholesale maize market influences the maize price formation of all regional maize markets examined in this study. Therefore, interventions targeting the central wholesale market can successfully provide a buffer for local maize surplus and consumption markets against undesirable price shocks from the central market

Should traders be blamed for soaring food prices in Ethiopia? Evidence from wholesale maize markets

The prevalence of imperfect price transmission in the agricultural food markets continues to be an important policy concern for most countries in Africa. Motivated by the coexistence of soaring food prices and high domestic food production, this article investigates the performance of wholesale white maize markets in Ethiopia during the post-agricultural market liberalization period. The presence of price manipulation in the grain market structure has important welfare implications as it impedes the full transmission of price reductions and increases among marketing intermediaries. Results indicate that regional maize markets adjusted more quickly to price decreases than price increases to the central Addis Ababa wholesale maize market prices, suggesting the absence of positive asymmetric price transmission. Our findings are in contrast with existing studies conducted in southern, western and eastern Africa major food commodity market

The impact of the 2015/16 drought on staple maize markets in Southern and Eastern Africa

The Southern African region experienced the worst drought in more than a century in the 2015/16 production season, which had a severe impact on staple maize markets. Public and private sector response varied across the region and the level of accuracy on information with respect to crop estimates and the anticipated impact on stock levels, trade flow and prices became critical. To this end, the Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ReNAPRI) has in recent years developed a multi-faceted approach to policy research that includes farm-level, sector-level and value chain analysis within a Strategic Foresighting frame-work. This initiative is supported by the capacity building and training in partial equilibrium modelling under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy (FSP)

Blurring the boundaries between perpetrators and victims: Pied-noir memories and the harki community

This article seeks to trace the evolving relationship between the collective memories of the pied-noir community, the former settler population of French Algeria, and the harkis, those Algerians who fought for the French during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-62). Although regarded by many as at best complicit in, and at worst the perpetrators of, a system of colonial domination, the pieds-noirs view themselves as innocent casualties of a destructive and erroneous historical force, decolonization. In light of this, the article will focus on the ways in which pieds-noirs, primarily through their strong associational network, have attempted to retrospectively redeem themselves by converting their status from that of perpetrators into that of victims by grafting their collective memories onto those of a clearly identified ‘victim’ population, the harkis with whom they feel a special affinity. The reaction of the harki community to this process and the implications for the development of their own memories will also be examined