The Rise of Kenyan Supermarkets and the Evolution of their Horticulture Product Procurement Systems

Supermarkets are rapidly penetrating urban food retail in Kenya and spreading well beyond their initially tiny market niche among the urban middle class into the food markets of lower‐income groups. Having penetrated processed and staple food markets much earlier and faster than fresh foods, they have recently begun to make inroads into the fresh fruits and vegetables category. Supermarkets in Kenya already buy about half the volume of produce exported, and thus represent a significant new ‘dynamic market’ opportunity for farmers. The important changes in their procurement systems bring significant opportunities and challenges for small farmers, and have implications for agricultural diversification and rural development programmes and policies.     

Physical planning within the framework of National Development Planning in Nigeria

Nigeria has had experience with 5 Development Plans. In each of these successive national and state development plans, mention is made of physical planning problems — especially the urbanisation problem in Nigeria — a problem compounded by the ever-increasing rate of rural to urban migration. In this paper, an attempt will be made to review the priority given to physical planning in each of the successive National Development Plans, to examine the constraints on effective physical planning in Nigeria, and to propose strategies that will ensure proper integration of physical planning with national development planning.     

Pluriactivity in rural Norway

This article relates the results of a study carried out on the roles and functions of pluriactivity in rural Norway. The study sought to define the effect on pluriactivity of the integration of rural areas into urban labour markets, international systems of production, and the changes in the sectoral mix in rural areas. The analysis is based on three types of data: a list of enterprises from the national register of economic units, the central register of employed workers, and information from local informants in the sample municipalities. The article concludes that the rate of pluriactivity among the rural population depends on the way in which economic sectors are classified. A further finding is that pluriactivity is an important feature of rural Norway, but is still mainly associated with agricultural enterprise. A final conclusion is that pluriactivity has other characteristics in larger labour markets than in smaller labour markets in rural areas due to the urban influence on the former.     

The urban market of Açaí fruit (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and rural land use change: Ethnographic insights into the role of price and land tenure constraining agricultural choices in the Amazon estuary

This paper examines the recent development of the açaí fruit economy in regional Amazonian urban markets (as a staple food) and more recently among national and international consumers (as a fashion food) and the consequences for agroforestry intensification by Caboclo communities in the Amazon estuary. The paper is based on long-term ethnographic research and field experiments; the açaí fruit economy is discussed from agricultural, social, and economic perspectives; attention is given to its historical development, the structure of açaí fruit production, its agents, the relationship among themselves and the urban market. Decadal price performance is presented for açaí fruit and açaí transportation costs and compared to major agropastoral products for the Eastern Amazon region. Dominant views about the economic rationality of rural producers' decision-making are discussed. Açaí fruit has performed as well as and in some cases surpassed most agro-pastoral products of the Northern region. Economic returns for producers reflect linkages between price signals from urban markets, harvesting decision, and land tenure condition of the producer. Urban markets for the fruit is expanding and bringing new participants to the açaí fruit economy further conditioning the ability of rural producers to take advantage of external markets for forest products. Discussion of factors conditioning agricultural development and integration between urban and rural areas conclude the article.     

Rural accessibility problems and human resource development: Case study from Nigeria

This paper focuses on rural transport as a crucial factor in rural development. It examines the problems posed by poor transportation and the extent to which these constitute constraints to the mobilization of human resources for rural development. Using Kwara State. Nigeria, as a case study, the study shows the poor nature of rural transport network and its effect on the evacuation of agricultural products from the farm centres to markets. This accessibility problem was found to have negative effects on the farmers who are not in the least motivated to increase the acreage cultivated.     

城市多元生鲜市场空间格局的演变及其相互关联——以昆明主城区为例

生鲜市场关系到民生、城乡经济联系和就业等问题,孤立地研究某一类型的生鲜市场具有片面性,不利于理解整个城市的生鲜市场功能和全局管理。通过对昆明市主城区各种生鲜市场实地调查和问卷,运用ArcGIS空间叠加分析、核密度分析和统计分析等多种方法描述了该城市多元生鲜市场的空间格局的形成和演变,归纳不同生鲜市场的特征及其多元生鲜市场共存格局的原因,并对未来演变趋势进行分析,提出此消彼长的互动关联性对各主体所隐含的机遇和挑战,由此说明从地域视角开展的研究,能综合把握全局特征,以及各类型之间的彼此关联性,可弥补以往单一类型研究的不足,并对政府的相关决策进行讨论。     

Review of CIS Stock Markets: Future Perspectives

This paper critically reviews the market structure of major stock exchanges in eight members of Countries of Independent States (CIS)—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Because these markets are somewhat similar in terms of their size, trading volume and market design, their comparative analysis will enhance our knowledge on the development of the financial sector in CIS countries. By examining the data provided by the Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges, we observe the similarities and differences among these markets that may be improved through structural changes. Later we discuss what CIS equity markets can learn from the successful examples of small and emerging company marketplaces. We also study the advantages and disadvantages of potential regional consolidation among these eight stock exchanges. We propose that while current fragmented structure may be beneficial in the short or medium term, the stock exchanges of CIS countries will benefit from consolidation in the long term. Later we focus on the Baku Stock Exchange (BSE) and propose specific suggestions to develop the market mechanism and facilitate a better environment of financial markets in Azerbaijan. We find that the BSE currently lacks several fundamental factors required to establish well-functioning financial markets. Our suggestions aim to contribute to the improvement process started by BSE management.     

Institutional constraints on housing development: The urban areas of Nigeria: The land-use decree and the building plan approval process

This paper argues that the land-use decree and the building approval process have become additional institutional bottlenecks which prospective urban housing developers must contend with. Contrary to these experiences, these two para-legal institutions were made to ease in part, the difficulties associated with housing development in the urban areas in Nigeria. The paper then briefly analyses how these institutions operate that made them cogs in the wheels of housing development. Some remedial measures suggested to obliterate the difficulties associated with these institutional constraints include: the possession, acquisition and servicing of urban land for sale to the general public; the need for a complete land information system through the use of cadastral survey; public enlightenment with regard to the requirements of the planning authorities on local building plans; and the provision of official vehicles or car loans to site inspectors.     

The market for construction wood in Mopti, Mali

This paper investigates the supply networks, the structure and operation of the markets and the increasing scarcity of good quality construction poles and hewn construction timber in Mopti, Mali. Using a variety of rapid appraisal methods the research identified separate groups of agents performing retailing, transporting and wood cutting functions within the supply network. A survey of the retail sector of the open or organised wood market in Mopti found the market to involve lower than expected volumes of timber and higher than expected mark-up variability across retailers and products. It was found that some users of construction wood do not buy their wood in the open market. The paper discusses one alternative method of obtaining wood involving the formation of a rural–urban solidarity network in which wood is ‘traded’ for various forms of help and assistance. The paper concludes that the re-empowerment of local communities so that they can manage and benefit from natural resources under their jurisdiction is probably a necessary condition for sustainable improvements in the supply of construction wood to Mopti. However, additional measures may be needed to replenish the stock of trees and human and institutional capital in the wood supply areas.     

What is really different about rural and urban firms? Some evidence from Northern Ireland

The economic structure of rural regions in Europe is becoming increasingly similar to that of urban regions. Therefore, what is really different about rural and urban firms? This question is investigated here through a comparison of matched manufacturing plants in rural and urban areas of Northern Ireland. The analysis finds that remote rural, accessible rural and urban manufacturing plants that are matched with respect to their industrial sector, size, age and ownership structure are nevertheless different in certain key respects. Remote rural manufacturing plants are seen to follow a production-cost-oriented export strategy, while accessible rural firms adopt a more innovation-oriented export strategy. In contrast, urban manufacturing plants use their reputation-based competitive advantage to service relatively large local markets. The competitiveness of rural firms is particularly influenced by the quality of transport infrastructure, the availability of suitably qualified staff, and external trade factors. Given this complex set of factors, effective policy initiatives in this area may involve measures that cut across departmental and national boundaries.     

The perception of housing conditions in Nigeria by the urban poor

This paper provides a critical analysis of the urban poor's attitudes towards housing conditions in Nigeria. The concept of housing inequality as well as the various types and scales of disparity in housing services availability are discussed. Although inequality is a moral issue, this paper is mainly concerned with its ideological and scientific content. And in order to identify and characterise the dimensions of inequality theoretically and empirically, a case study of Idi-Araba, an officially-designated slum area in Metropolitan Lagos in Nigeria, was carried out. Some of the theories which attempt to explain low-income and the poor housing users' attitudes towards their settlements, towards public housing policies and towards social and economic inequalities are presented and tested. The study posits that the problems of housing in Nigeria today cannot be restrictedly defined in terms of housing costs, building materials, manpower availability, land tenurial systems and so on. In order for it to be possible for us to understand them adequately, the problems must be seen as an unavoidable and persisting aspect of structural inequality in our society. Clarification of users' disposition of minds towards government housing policies is essential in order to begin to formulate the elements of various reforms that are necessary to reduce inequality in housing.     

Does Overconfidence Bias Explain Volatility During the Global Financial Crisis?

This paper explores the problem of the current global financial crisis, using a behavioral perspective. Particularly, the main objective of this paper is to test whether overconfidence bias can explain excessive volatility witnessed during global financial crisis in developed and emerging equity markets. Empirical results of EGARCH estimated models show an asymmetric effect of volatility for all equity market indexes. The relation between excessive trading volume of overconfident investors and excessive prices volatility is then estimated. The results indicate that conditional volatility is positively related to trading volume caused by overconfidence bias. This finding provides strong statistical support to the presence of overconfidence bias among investors in developed and emerging stocks markets. This cognitive bias contributes to the exceptional financial instability that erupted in 2008. However, during the subprime financial crisis period overconfidence bias cannot explain volatility because of the loss of confidence by investors in financial markets.     

The implications of the demographic transition theory for fertility change in Nigeria

Data on educated urban women in Nigeria demonstrate the effect women's education and urbanization has on reproductive behavior, marriage, family formation, and family relationships. Available health services contribute to a fall in infant mortality, but most services are in urban areas. Further, people of high socioeconomic status who have access to modern health services are more concerned about public health problems than those in the low group. Urbanization occurs at a rate of about 11%/year. In Lagos, people with primary education delay marriage 1-2 years longer than those who have no education. Further, 71% of uneducated people in Ibadan who were = or + 38 years old were in a polygynous marriage compared to 38% of educated people in the same age group. The actual and desired family size in Nigeria ranks amoung the highest in the world. In addition, only 20% of the total population use modern contraceptives and usage is highest in Lagos and Ibadan. Most acceptors are educated urban middle class who use contraceptives to space births instead of the traditional spacing methods of postpartum abstinence and prolonged lactation. Eventually more and more urban middle class women will use contraceptives to prevent births. 1% of these acceptors are demographic innovators, however. Further they begin to use contraceptives at high parities. Still child mortality among them is lower than others. Since the late 1970s, as people are being exposed to Western culture, the economy has improved, mortality has fallen, more children attend schools, yet fertility has grown substantially in urban and rural areas. With the expansion of Western education to females, the changing pattern of life style of the educated urban middle class, and increase of women in nontraditional professions, expectations and needs of children will change. Around 2000 Nigeria will begin its demographic transition from high to low fertility.     

Stakeholders’ partnership approach to infrastructure provision and management in developing world cities: lessons from the Sustainable Ibadan project

In recent decades unprecedented urbanization has constituted a huge challenge to urban infrastructure development and management in most developing countries. Meanwhile, the appropriateness of conventional urban planning approaches to the improvement of urban environmental conditions in the face of deteriorating urban environment have often been questioned. It became inevitable to search for new approaches particularly in the context of low-income urban communities. International organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) have subsequently initiated strategies to evolve a participatory approach to the development and management of the urban environment. One of such strategies is the Sustainable City Programme (SCP) which aims to provide municipal authorities and city stakeholders in the public, private and community sectors with an enhanced capacity for environmental planning and management. The programme is being implemented in several cities in parts of the developing world, including Ibadan – the Sustainable Ibadan Project (SIP) – in Nigeria. This paper examines the partnership approach to urban environmental infrastructure improvement, development and management as represented by the SIP. The relevance of the participatory partnership approach of the SIP for cities in parts of developing regions is examined. The paper implicitly stresses that bottom-up participatory stakeholder partnership is a strategy capable of enlisting the financial, material resources and expertise of various sectors of the urban community towards the improvement of urban environmental infrastructure. The paper presents preliminary findings of a study. Although traditional appraisal techniques were not employed, nonetheless, the paper presents a discussion of the processes and dynamics of the SIP on the basis of which some useful lessons may be drawn.     

Resources,environment and economic development in Nigeria

It is argued that Nigeria must focus on effective environmentally protective intensive farming, resource management methods, and strong family planning programs. Other contributory factors are recognized as the lack of democracy and the "ill-advised" internal policies of the government. The emphasis is on man-made decisions about migration, natality, and land use practices that have ecological consequences that significantly affect the economy. Land degradation in Nigeria is attributed to improper agricultural and husbandry practices. Land degradation has severe ecological, economic, and human costs. Awareness of environmental problems in Nigeria is growing. Natural disasters such as the droughts of 1984-85, continued soil depletion, accumulations of soil wastes, increased flooding in urban areas, and land erosion in Anambra state are evidence of the growing environmental problems. Agricultural development should involve changing rural land use practices, using technology that is "appropriate" to the climate, crops, and culture of the people, and introducing agroforestry. Population growth in Nigeria puts pressure on the fragile ecosystem. Actual carrying capacity is a rough calculation. Nigeria's population growth patterns follow a pattern that suggests population pressure on carrying capacity. The acceleration of population growth has strained the traditional system of agriculture. Land is overused, and cultivation continues on unsuitable land. Domestic policies during the oil boom encouraged rapid industrialization at the expense of the environment. Migration increased to urban centers, but cities did not provide suitable housing, waste disposal, safe water supplies, and other basic facilities.     

Race,poverty, and markets: urban inequality after the neoliberal turn

Classic scholarship on the problem of urban inequality tends to highlight the absence of “the market” and the correspondingly problematic and inadequate role of the state in poor communities. This article explores how the relationship between markets and urban poverty has shifted in recent decades. Scholars have become increasingly attentive to the growing influence of market logics and privatization—core features of “neoliberal” change—in areas such as housing, education, federal policy, local politics, employment, and social services. I discuss how this recent work adds to our understanding of how markets shape urban disadvantage. I also argue that—given the rising influence of market logics in city governance—urban scholarship stands to benefit from a deeper engagement with insights from the field of economic sociology. Building bridges between the two subfields, I argue, will help to specify what markets mean in the lives of the urban poor, and also can bring issues of race and poverty to the attention of economic sociologists.     

城市化之终结——新型城市理念与城市化的反思

城市的增长和发展一直与城市体系中的特定节点相联系。然而,在众多大城市的功能区合并形成连绵的城市地区的大环境下,这种联系的意义并不大。当一个国家有85%以上的城市人口,城市化进程不再像我们以往所理解的那样,因此传统的分析手段也无法满足需求。本文以丹麦为考察对象,探讨以单个城市和城乡二元制为基础的传统城市分析方法的局限性。文章提出采用一个与大城市地区之中的本地化进程相关的替代概念,进一步论证如何通过流动性的增加和劳动市场的扩大来解释过去25年丹麦的城市增长模式。     

Urbanization,migration, and development

This paper looks at the effect of the new international division of labor on urbanization in developing countries. Previous histories, particularly of insertion into the world economy, affect responses to the new order. Also, previous phases in the organization of the world economy, particularly those associated with import-substitution industrialization, have shaped the urban systems and urban social organization of developing countries in particular ways. By comparing the tendencies of the import-substituting period with those of the new international division of labor, contrasts are brought out in the patterns of migration, the shape of the urban system, labor markets, and in urban social organization. The overall change is likely to be an increasing divergence, both within developing countries and between them, in their urban organization.     

Challenge of multi-level governance in developing countries and possible GIS applications

Of the three most prominent issues in governance discourse—the horizontal coordination of markets, government hierarchies and networks, global governance and multi-level governance—this paper argues that the last, developing and sustaining structures of multi-level governance, constitutes the most profound governance challenge for most developing countries.The paper identifies the major forces promoting change in favor of multi-level governance in developing countries. Using the growing literature and comparative national experiences (illustrated with the examples of India, the Philippines, Colombia and Nigeria), it highlights the key achievements of democratic decentralization as well as its nagging problems in these countries. Finally, the paper demonstrates the significance of these developments for democracy and development in these countries and shows some of the ways by which external partners—especially experts associated with the Geographic Information Systems for Developing Countries can assist and possibly benefit from this process.     

城市群的空间构成要素及其功能培育

城市群有群核、群集和群网三大空间构成要素,优化城市群的空间结构,促进我国城市群的健康发展,必须培育三大空间构成要素的作用功能。