Linking small producers to supermarkets? The role of intermediaries on the fresh fruit and vegetable market in Turkey.

A wide range of the empirical studies shows to what extend the rise of supermarkets in developing countries deeply transform domestic marketing channels. In particular, the exclusion of small producers from the so-called dynamic marketing channels (that is remunerative ones) is at stake. Based on original data collected in Turkey in 2007 at the producer and the wholesale market levels, we show that the intermediaries are decisive in order to understand the impact of downstream restructuring (supermarkets) on upstream decisions (producers). The results show first that producers are not aware of the final buyer of their produce, as intermediaries hinder the visibility of the marketing channel, their choice is restricted to that of the first intermediary. Moreover, the econometric results conclude that producers who are indirectly linked to the supermarkets are more sensitive to their requirements in terms of quality and packaging than to the price premia they set accordingly to the effort made to meet their standards. Therefore, the results question the role of the wholesale market agents who act as a buffer in the chain and protect small producers from negative shocks, but who stop positive shocks as well, and reduce incentives.supermarkets, small farmers, fresh fruit and vegetables, Turkey, Agribusiness, Production Economics, Q13, L14, D24,

White Skin and White Masquerades: The Performativity of “Whiteness” at Trinity College

Trinity College has gained a reputation as a predominantly white elite institution over its years at the University of Toronto. Using both personal accounts from a member of the college, as well as participant observation based on three months of research, this essay attempts to understand how the college maintains its legacy as a white institution despite its existence in a supposedly multicultural university environment. Drawing upon Judith Butler\u27s theory of performativity, the essay describes how whiteness is constructed through a reiteration of acts rather than on race or colour in the context of Trinity College

Squatter settlements as social catalysts towards a sustainable urban development: a positive look at the case of Villa El Salvador, Lima-Perú

Se ha estimado que más de 900 millones de personas viven actualmente en asentamientos marginales en países en vías de desarrollo (Montgomery 2005); fenómeno que se originó a partir de un acelerado proceso de urbanización desencadenado por una masiva migración urbana (Johansson et al. 2011). El propósito de este documento es determinar e identificar aquellos atributos, factores, estrategias y políticas necesarias para aumentar la capacidad de auto-mejora de estos asentamientos para lograr convertirlos en lugares menos vulnerables, más resistentes y ambientalmente más responsables. El Caso de estudio de Villa El Salvador, ubicado en Lima-Perú, es analizado como evidencia de que las organizaciones de base y el modelo de ‘Auto-ayuda’ liderados por la propia comunidad son efectivos para un desarrollo urbano sustentable. Este análisis hace hincapié en la necesidad de cambiar la actitud hacia los ‘Pueblos Jóvenes’, descubriendo sus potencialidades para proveer vivienda asequible y desarrollo socio-económico para los más pobres. Las conclusiones intentan lograr un mejor entendimiento de esta problemática desde una perspectiva mucho más humana y positiva, con la esperanza de contribuir en el proceso de acrecentamiento e integración urbana de comunidades segregadas; una visión que demanda la incorporación de los pobladores como los catalizadores sociales necesarios para lograr un futuro más equitativo y sustentable.).It is estimated that more than 900 million of the total population of developing countries is living in squatter settlements (Montgomery 2005); phenomenon originated from the accelerated process of urbanisation unleashed by the massive migration of the poorer from rural to urban areas (Johansson et al. 2011). The purpose of this paper is to determine and identify those attributes, factors, strategies and policies necessary for boosting the upgrading capacity of slums in order to turn them into less vulnerable, more resilient and environmentally-oriented places. The case study of Villa El Salvador, a slum located in Lima-Peru, is analysed as a supporting evidence of effective grass-roots management and as an exemplary self-help model led by residents and community organisations. This analysis emphasizes the necessity to change the attitude towards squatter settlements, by unveiling their potential to provide affordable housing and socio-economic development to the poorer. Conclusions are intended to gain a better understanding of this problematic from a more positive and humanitarian perspective, with the hope of contributing with the accretion process and urban integration of segregated communities; a vision that demands the incorporation of dwellers as the social catalyst needed to achieve a more sustainable and equitable future.Eje 4: Construir las nuevas agendas socio-ambientales. Orientar y gestionar las transiciones y transformaciones urbanas.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Scattering states of a particle, with position-dependent mass, in a double heterojunction

In this work we obtain the exact analytical scattering solutions of a particle (electron or hole) in a semiconductor double heterojunction - potential well / barrier - where the effective mass of the particle varies with position inside the heterojunctions. It is observed that the spatial dependence of mass within the well / barrier introduces a nonlinear component in the plane wave solutions of the continuum states. Additionally, the transmission coefficient is found to increase with increasing energy, finally approaching unity, whereas the reflection coefficient follows the reverse trend and goes to zero.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Squatter settlements as social catalysts towards a sustainable urban development: a positive look at the case of Villa El Salvador, Lima-Perú

Se ha estimado que más de 900 millones de personas viven actualmente en asentamientos marginales en países en vías de desarrollo (Montgomery 2005); fenómeno que se originó a partir de un acelerado proceso de urbanización desencadenado por una masiva migración urbana (Johansson et al. 2011). El propósito de este documento es determinar e identificar aquellos atributos, factores, estrategias y políticas necesarias para aumentar la capacidad de auto-mejora de estos asentamientos para lograr convertirlos en lugares menos vulnerables, más resistentes y ambientalmente más responsables. El Caso de estudio de Villa El Salvador, ubicado en Lima-Perú, es analizado como evidencia de que las organizaciones de base y el modelo de ‘Auto-ayuda’ liderados por la propia comunidad son efectivos para un desarrollo urbano sustentable. Este análisis hace hincapié en la necesidad de cambiar la actitud hacia los ‘Pueblos Jóvenes’, descubriendo sus potencialidades para proveer vivienda asequible y desarrollo socio-económico para los más pobres. Las conclusiones intentan lograr un mejor entendimiento de esta problemática desde una perspectiva mucho más humana y positiva, con la esperanza de contribuir en el proceso de acrecentamiento e integración urbana de comunidades segregadas; una visión que demanda la incorporación de los pobladores como los catalizadores sociales necesarios para lograr un futuro más equitativo y sustentable.).It is estimated that more than 900 million of the total population of developing countries is living in squatter settlements (Montgomery 2005); phenomenon originated from the accelerated process of urbanisation unleashed by the massive migration of the poorer from rural to urban areas (Johansson et al. 2011). The purpose of this paper is to determine and identify those attributes, factors, strategies and policies necessary for boosting the upgrading capacity of slums in order to turn them into less vulnerable, more resilient and environmentally-oriented places. The case study of Villa El Salvador, a slum located in Lima-Peru, is analysed as a supporting evidence of effective grass-roots management and as an exemplary self-help model led by residents and community organisations. This analysis emphasizes the necessity to change the attitude towards squatter settlements, by unveiling their potential to provide affordable housing and socio-economic development to the poorer. Conclusions are intended to gain a better understanding of this problematic from a more positive and humanitarian perspective, with the hope of contributing with the accretion process and urban integration of segregated communities; a vision that demands the incorporation of dwellers as the social catalyst needed to achieve a more sustainable and equitable future.Eje 4: Construir las nuevas agendas socio-ambientales. Orientar y gestionar las transiciones y transformaciones urbanas.Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanism

Potential impacts of a Turkish EU-membership on agri-food markets

This paper examines possible impacts of a Turkish accession to the EU on the agricultural markets in Turkey and the EU. AGMEMOD, an econometric, dynamic, multi-market, partial equilibrium economic model for EU agriculture at Member State level, has been extended with a model for the Turkish agricultural sector and afterwards applied to gain quantitative insights into Turkish accession effects. To establish a model for Turkey, the implementation of the model equations required parameter estimates, or the specification of synthetic model parameters. A database with time series on Turkish agricultural production, market balances and prices, macroeconomic variables and policy variables was developed in order to estimate such model parameters and to build an operational Turkish agriculture sector model. Most results show that the dominant impact of the Turkish accession on Turkish agriculture is a reduction of domestic producer prices, which induces further market effects. The - mostly decoupled - CAP support payments will induce smaller incentives to increase production than those which Turkish farmers receive prior to the EU accession. In Turkey effects of accession to the EU will be mostly negative for crop producers (except for tobacco), whereas the consumers are expected to gain from lower market prices. In contrast, producers of sheep meat, broiler and dairy milk could gain from an accession due to lower feed costs

Food quality and safety situation in Turkey: governance and barriers to success

The institutional environment for food quality and safety in Turkey is rapidly changing in the last decade but there are still some inconsistencies compared with the EU. High costs of establishing quality assurance systems (QAS), inefficient capacity of the institutional frame, unknown consumer attitudes, low level of production techniques and lack of awareness of producers and consumers are important weaknesses, when evaluating the current food quality and safety situation in Turkey. Whereas, rapid development of QAS, increase in consumer demands, harmonisation of legislation with the EU, increase in the research and incentives for quality production, and production potentials were determined as strong points. When analysing the socio-economic situation of farms, producers’ knowledge, perception and interest in quality with Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA), it is found that producers did not accumulate capital because of the low profits, a handicap for expanding and investing into production and product quality. Moreover, the producers' knowledge is limited and their quality perception mainly focuses on food safety. As a result, academic studies and research projects needs to be extended and the adaptation of the Turkish legislation with the EU should be completed accordingly.Food Quality Governance, SMEs Barrier for Food Quality, Food Quality Assurance, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Potential algebra approach to position dependent mass Schroedinger equation

It is shown that for a class of position dependent mass Schroedinger equation the shape invariance condition is equivalent to a potential symmetry algebra. Explicit realization of such algebras have been obtained for some shape invariant potentials

Development of an approximate method for quantum optical models and their pseudo-Hermicity

An approximate method is suggested to obtain analytical expressions for the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the some quantum optical models. The method is based on the Lie-type transformation of the Hamiltonians. In a particular case it is demonstrated that $E\times \epsilon$ Jahn-Teller Hamiltonian can easily be solved within the framework of the suggested approximation. The method presented here is conceptually simple and can easily be extended to the other quantum optical models. We also show that for a purely imaginary coupling the $E\times \epsilon$ Hamiltonian becomes non-Hermitian but $P\sigma _{0}$-symmetric. Possible generalization of this approach is outlined.Comment: Paper prepared fo the "3rd International Workshop on Pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics" June 2005 Istanbul. To be published in Czechoslovak Journal of Physic