Kazananı Olmayan Zincir: Tarımda Gelir-Erişim İkilemi; Sosyal Eşitsizlik ve Adil Politikalar
The Winless Chain: Income-Access Dilemma, Social Inequality, and Fair Agricultural Policies

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the deepening structural contradiction between farmer welfare and urban consumer access to food within Turkey’s agricultural system, framed through the concept of the “income-access dilemma.” Despite rising production costs, farmers remain unable to achieve economic sustainability. Meanwhile, low-income urban consumers struggle to afford basic food items—indicating not only an economic imbalance but also growing social and governance vulnerabilities. The study argues that food price inflation in Turkey is driven not only by macroeconomic inflation but also by structural distortions and inefficiencies within the intermediary-heavy supply chain. Drawing on theoretical frameworks such as food sovereignty, fair trade, rural development, and social sustainability, this descriptive analysis explores cooperative-based and direct-sale agricultural models implemented in countries like France, the Netherlands, and Italy, evaluating their relevance and applicability within the Turkish context. The findings suggest that direct subsidies targeting production costs, shortening intermediary chains, and expanding digital agriculture platforms can simultaneously enhance producer incomes and promote more equitable consumer access to food. Ultimately, establishing a fair and sustainable balance between economic efficiency and social justice requires integrated, participatory, and multilayered policy approaches that bring producers and consumers together within a unified system. Agricultural policy must therefore be redefined not only as a productivity issue but also as an ethical and social imperative to ensure food security and rural-urban cohesion.

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