The Spatial Relationships of the Qualitative Composition of Livestock and the Production Structure of Forage Crops in Thi Qar Governorate

Abstract

The research titled "Spatial Relationships of the Qualitative Composition of Livestock and Production Structure of Forage Crops in Dhi Qar Governorate" aims to explore the spatial connections between livestock population by type and the characteristics of forage crops, including type and area. The study seeks to highlight the geographical distribution of these elements, enabling policymakers and stakeholders in animal production to develop strategic plans for the advancement of this crucial sector. By identifying the focal areas of livestock concentration and utilizing the key factor of nutrition, which is forage, feasible economic plans can be formulated to establish projects based on their products. The research is structured into three main axes. The first axis investigates the qualitative composition of livestock in Dhi Qar Governorate. The findings reveal that the province possesses five main types of livestock, with sheep constituting the majority. The second axis focuses on analyzing the production structure of forage crops, considering both summer and winter seasons. The study identifies four types of crops cultivated in winter and five types cultivated in summer. Administrative units exhibit varying degrees of control over these crops, with six units dominating winter crops and five units dominating summer crops out of a total of seventeen administrative units in the province. The third axis explores the correlation relationships, showing a stronger connection between the crops cultivated in the summer season compared to those in the winter season. These three axes yield several significant results. Notably, five administrative units hold dominance over 62.2% of the total livestock population, predominantly situated in the northeastern, central, and eastern parts of the study area. Sheep comprise 64.9% of the total livestock population. In terms of forage crops, six units control 78.87% of winter crops, while five units control 78.93% of summer crops. The correlation relationship with the winter season for forage crops is weaker compared to the summer season.