Geographical Analysis of Protected Agriculture in Babylon Governorate

Al. Silawi, Ghufran Mohammed Aziz

doi:10.37653/juah.2026.168146.1397

	Geographical Analysis of Protected Agriculture in Babylon Governorate
Journal of University of Anbar for Humanities
Volume 2026, Issue 2, June 2026, Pages 513-537 PDF (4.53 M)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.37653/juah.2026.168146.1397
Author
Ghufran Mohammed Aziz Al. Silawi^*
Administrative Technical College/ Kufa- Middle Euphrates Technical University- Iraq
Abstract
Aims: This study aims to conduct a geographical analysis of protected agriculture in Babylon Governorate and to elucidate its role in enhancing the agricultural production of vegetable crops in terms of cultivated area, total output, and productivity. It further seeks to delineate the current status of plastic greenhouses and agricultural tunnels, examine their geographical distribution across the districts and sub-districts of the governorate, identify the principal crops cultivated under this agricultural system, and assess its impact on the enhancement of food security. Methodology: The study adopted an analytical geographical approach based on the collection of field and statistical data pertaining to plastic greenhouses and agricultural tunnels in Babylon Governorate, followed by the analysis of their spatial distribution across districts and sub-districts. A quantitative analytical method was also employed to determine the number of protected cultivation structures and to compare the productivity of various vegetable crops, while examining the relationship between the geographical distribution of protected agriculture and the efficiency of agricultural production. Results: The findings reveal a marked spatial variation in the geographical distribution of protected agriculture across the districts and sub-districts of Babylon Governorate. The total number of plastic greenhouses recorded was 403, whereas the number of plastic tunnels reached 77,792. The results further indicate that the most significant crops cultivated under protected agriculture are eggplant, pepper, and okra, while tomato, cucumber, and eggplant crops are concentrated in the sub-districts of Al-Imam, Al-Mahawil, Al-Nil, and Al-Mashru'. The findings also demonstrate that protected agriculture contributes substantially to increased output, improved crop quality, and year-round availability of produce. Conclusions: It can be concluded that protected agriculture constitutes one of the most important modern agricultural methods in Babylon Governorate, owing to its role in enhancing agricultural production efficiency and ensuring stability in the supply of vegetable crops. The study further affirms that the development of this sector represents an economic and agricultural necessity under prevailing climatic and economic conditions, given its capacity to enable continuous production and mitigate the impact of climatic variability. This, in turn, underscores the importance of expanding the use of greenhouses and achieving a more balanced distribution thereof across the governorate.
Keywords
Agriculture; Irrigation; Soil; Water

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