Technical and vocational skills (TVS): a means of preventing violence among youth in Nigeria

Technical and vocational skills are an important tool for reducing violence among youth, especially in Nigeria, who face security challenges due to different kinds of violence. This paper focusses on the policies and programmes intended to provide youth with skills that can help them improve their life instead of engaging in violence. The paper also studies youth participation in violence. The study shows that youth in Nigeria participate in violence because of unemployment and economic pressure. These youth are mostly from poor families and are mostly used by others to achieve their own unlawful ambition. The data were collected from various secondary sources such as textbooks, journals and conference papers that were carefully reviewed. The results obtained from the literature revealed that youth are not committed, sensitised and mobilised to taking advantage of the opportunities available to them. The results also revealed that almost all the programmes meant to provide youths with skills have failed. Poverty alleviation programmes established to create jobs, self-employment and self-reliance have been unsuccessful. Therefore, alternatives must be provided to help the younger generations. Based on the literature reviewed, the paper discusses related issues and outcomes and ends with recommendations to improve the situation

Testing For Seasonal Cointegration and Error Correction: The U.S. Pecan Price-Inventory Relationship

Using time series data we examine behavior of pecan prices and inventories at zero and seasonal frequencies, given results of seasonal cointegration tests. Both, seasonally unadjusted and adjusted quarterly data are used (1991-2002). Results suggest that, first, shelled and total pecan inventories and shelled pecan prices have common unit roots at both the non-seasonal and seasonal frequencies; second, there is no long run equilibrium between pecan prices and shelled or total inventories when unadjusted data are used. Finally, the speed of adjustments suggests pecan prices adjust to shocks in inventories and not the vice versa.Demand and Price Analysis,

Forecasting Price Relationships among U.S Tree Nuts Prices

This paper investigates a vector auto regression model, using the Johansen cointegration technique, and the autoregressive integrated moving average time series models to determine the better model for forecasting US tree nut prices over the period 1992-2006. The Johansen contegration test shows lack of long run relationship among pecan, walnut, and almond prices. As such, only autoregressive integrated moving average-type models were used in forecasting U.S. nut prices.substitutability, cointegration, tree nuts, long-run equilibrium forecasting, Demand and Price Analysis, Production Economics,

PRICE-INVENTORY RELATIONSHIP IN THE PECAN INDUSTRY: A STUDY OF LONG- AND SHORT-RUN EFFECTS WITH SEASONAL CONSIDERATION

Demand and Price Analysis,

Performance, genetic variations and interrelationships in different traits of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) genotypes

   Eighteen sorghum genotypes were evaluated over three consecutive seasons (2009,2010,and 2011) at three locations ( Rahad Research farm of the Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC), Sudan, Gedarif Research Station farm North Gedarif and South Gedarif region). Both experiments conducted in  North and South Gedarif were rainfed, while that conducted at Rahad station was irrigated. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was used .The objective was to estimate the general performance, genetic variability and interrelationships of grain yield and its components. Data were collected on days to 50% flowering, plant height, number of heads/m², head length (cm), head width (cm),1000 seed weight (g) and grain yield (kg/ha). The study found  that there were highly significant differences among genotypes in  all the characters studied  except head width in season 2011.The early maturing genotypes were Milo (59-64 days), Gesheish      (60-67 days) , AG-8 (59-65 days) and Butana (62-68 days), an indication that these genotypes would fit quite well in short rainy seasons of  North Gedarif environment. The late maturing genotypes were Tabat (68-83days),Wad Ahmed (69-83 days), Faki Mustahi (68-88 days) and Tetron (73-88 days) which were suitable to be grown under Rahad and South Gedarif environments. The highest grain yields (kg/ha) were exhibited by the genotypes Butana (735 kg/ha), Wad Ahmed (2572 kg/ha), and Mugod   (2545 kg/ha). Grain yield was positively   and highly significantly correlated with head width (0.65**)  and number of heads/m² (0.46**) .Accordingly, the simple linear correlation and path coefficient analysis indicated that head width and number of heads/m² could be used as potential selection criteria in breeding programs for developing high yielding sorghum genotypes.           تم تقييم ثمانية عشر سلالة من الذرة الرفيعة  لثلاثة مواسم متتالية (2009، 2010 و2011) في ثلاثة مواقع هي محطة بحوث الرهد ومحطة بحوث القضارف ،( شمال وجنوب القضارف)، هيئة البحوث الزراعية، السودان واللتان تمت فيهما الزراعة بالأمطار أما محطة بحوث الرهد بالري الأنسيابي. استخدم تصميم القطاعات العشوائية الكاملة بأربعة مكررات  وذلك لتقدير أداء انتاجية الحبوب، التباين الوراثي والعلاقة بين الصفات. تم قياس عدد الايام حتي 50% ازهار،  طول النبات ، عدد القناديل/متر² ، طول القندول ، عرض القندول ، وزن الالف حبة وانتاجية الحبوب. أظهرت النتائج وجود فروق معنوية عالية لمعظم الصفات التي درست ماعدا عرض القندول في موسم 2011م. السلالات المبكرة هي مايلو (59-64 يوم) ،قشيش (60–67 يوم) ، أرفع قدمك -8 (59–65 يوم) وبطانة (62–68 يوم). هذا يوضح ان هذه السلالات يمكن زراعتها في المناطق قليلة الامطار وهي تناسب بيئة شمال القضارف. الاصناف المتأخرة هي طابت (68- 88 يوم)، ود أحمد(69-83 يوم) ، فكي مستحي(68-88 يوم) ، وتترون(73-88 يوم) حيث يمكن زراعتها في بيئات مثل الرهد وجنوب القضارف. السلالات ذات الانتاجية العالية هي بطانة (735 كجم /هكتار) ، ود أحمد (2572 كجم/ هكتار) ومقد (2545 كجم /هكتار). ارتبط انتاج الحبوب ايجابياً ومعنوياً مع عرض القندول (** 0.65) وعدد القناديل/ متر² (** 0.46) ، وعليه أوضح معامل تحليل المسار أن عرض القندول وعدد القناديل/ متر² يمكن استخدامها كصفات انتخاب في برامج التربية لتطوير سلالات من الذرة  الرفيعة عالية الانتاجية. &nbsp

Genotype x environment interaction and stability analysis of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) yield under rainfed and irrigation conditions in central Sudan

     An experiment was conducted over three consecutive seasons (2009, 2010, and 2011) at three locations , Rahad Research farm. Gedarif  Research Station farm (North Gedarif and South Gedarif region) of the Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC), Sudan. Both North and South Gedarif were rainfed, while Rahad station was irrigated. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was used. Sorghum production is highly influenced by the environment where it is grown, thus, the genotype by environment interaction is highly significant when breeding for specific adaptation. The objective was   to assess the genotype x environment interaction and stability of grain yield. The mean squares due to environment, genotypes and genotype x environment interaction were highly significant for grain yield. Significant differences among  genotypes for the studied characters were found in almost all seasons, indicating that these sorghum genotypes were highly variable for the characters studied and , therefore, expected to respond to selection. The interaction effects of genotype x location were highly significant for most traits indicating that genotypes responded differently to different environments and some are environmentally specific. The present study showed that the first two axes PCA1,PCA2 in Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI ) accounted for the GE sum of squares by 56.7% and 19.3%, respectively, while the regression analysis accounted for GE sum of squares by 21.9% .Hence, AMMI analysis was superior to regression techniques and more effective in partitioning the interaction sum of squares. From both statistical  stability models used in this study, i.e. Eberhart and Russell (1966) as well as the Aditive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) analysis, they pointed out  that genotypes Mugod (1510 kg/ha), Tabat (1299 kg/ha), Wad-Ahmed (1471 kg/ha), Gadambalia bloom (1428 kg/ha), Safra (1410 kg/ha) and Tetron (1323) were high yielding and stable under the favorable environments of South Gedarif and Rahad irrigated Scheme. Genotypes Wad Baku(1225 kg/ha), Farhoda (1252 kg/ha),Gesheish (1194 kg/ha) and Wad Fahal (1230 kg/ha) were low yielders but quite stable under low rainfall environments like North Gedarif environment         أجريت هذه التجربة  لثلاث مواسم متتالية ( 2009 ، 2010 و 2011 ) وفي ثلاثة مواقع هي مزرعة بحوث الرهد ومحطة بحوث القضارف ( منطقة شمال وجنوب القضارف) ،هيئة البحوث الزراعية، السودان، واللتان تمت فيهما الزراعة بالأمطار ، أما محطة الرهد بالري الانسيابي. استخدم تصميم القطاعات العشوائية الكاملة بأربعه مكررات. وجد أن البيئة لها تأثير كبير علي انتاجية الذرة الرفيعة في مناطق زراعتها وعلية فأن التفاعل الوراثي والبيئي عالي المعنوية في حالة التربية لبيئات محددة. هدفت الدراسة لتقويم التفاعل الوراثي والبيئي وثبات درجة انتاجية الحبوب في الذرة. أظهرت النتائج وجود فروق معنوية عالية للبيئات ‚الأصناف والتفاعل الوراثي والبيئي. أيضاً أظهرت الدراسة فروقات معنوية عالية لمعظم الصفات التي درست في كل المواسم ، وهذا يشير الى وجود فروقات عالية بين سلالات الذرة للصفات التي درست ، وعليه يمكنها الاستجابة للانتخاب . التفاعل الوراثي والبيئي به فروق معنوية لمعظم الصفات وهذا يوضح أن هذه السلالات تختلف في استجابتها باختلاف البيئات وبعضها في بيئات محددة. مقارنة فعالية طريقة تحليل معامل الارتداد الخطي وطريقة الاثر التجميعي الرئيسي والتفاعل المتراكم لتحليل اثر التفاعل بين الصنف والبيئة اوضحت الدراسة ان محور المكون الاول والثاني في طريقة الاثر التجميعي الرئيسي والتفاعل المتراكم فسر %56,7،%19,3  من قيمة تفاعل البيئة مع التركيب الوراثي اما معامل الارتداد قد فسر حوالي 21,9% من قيمة التفاعل بين البيئة والتركيب الوراثي  وعليه ، طريقة الاثر التجميعي الرئيسي والتفاعل المتراكم تفوقت علي طريقة تحليل معامل الارتداد الخطي وهي ذات كفاءة عالية في تقسيم مجموع مربعات الانحرافات. بناءً علي نماذج التحليل (Eberhard and Russel 1966) و Additive Main Effects  and  Multiplicative Interaction) AMMI) لتحديد ثبات الاداء معاً وجد أن السلالات ذات الإنتاجية العالية هي مقد( 1510 كجم/ هكتار) ، طابت (1299 كجم/هكتار)، ود أحمد (1471 كجم/ هكتار) ، زهرة القدمبلية ( 1428 كجم/هكتار) ، صفراء( 1410 كجم/هكتار) وتيترون(1323  كجم/هكتار) ذات انتاجية عالية وثابتة ويمكن زراعتها في جنوب القضارف والرهد والسلالات ود باكو( 1225 كجم/هكتار) ، فرهوده (  1252كجم/هكتار)، قشيش (1194 كجم/هكتار) وود فحل  (1230 كجم/ هكتار)  ذات انتاجية أقل ولكنها ثابتة نسبياً ويمكن زراعتها في شمال القضارف