The Department of Applied Geography at the College of Education for the Humanities, University of Kerbala, debated an MA thesis titled “Spatial Variation and Its Impact on the Classification of Honey Quality and Quantity in Al-Husseiniya and Al-Hindiya Districts” by the MA candidate Intisar Hameed Sahib, under the supervision of Prof. Murtadha Jaleel Ibrahim (PhD).
The importance of the study lies in revealing the spatial distribution of apiaries at the administrative unit and district levels, as well as their agricultural sectors. It also examines the impact of natural, human, and biological factors on beekeeping, in addition to highlighting the major challenges facing honey production in the study area.
The study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter presents the theoretical framework along with key concepts and terminology. The second chapter focuses on the geographical factors (natural, biological, and human) affecting honey quality and production in the study area. The third chapter provides a spatial analysis of honey quality and production in the region. The fourth chapter discusses the main physical and chemical indicators used to assess the quality of honey. Lastly, the fifth chapter presents the statistical analysis of honey samples from the Al-Husseiniya and Al-Hindiya districts.
The study recommends that the government support beekeeping projects and the honey production sector, while compensating beekeepers for losses due to unfavorable conditions. It also calls for banning honey and bee imports, encouraging the establishment of new apiaries in areas without existing ones, and providing the necessary facilities to promote beekeeping. Furthermore, beekeepers should select good queen bees and increase the cultivation of eucalyptus, jujube, and sunflower trees, which are crucial for beekeeping. These trees provide pollen and nectar that enhance brood production within hives, leading to an increase in bee populations and honey output.
The members of the esteemed committee are:
• Prof. Dr. Abdul Kareem Rasheed Abdul Latif (Chair)
• Prof. Dr. Hussein Fadhel Abdul (Member)
• Asst. Prof. Dr. Lina Qasim Aidan (Member)
• Prof. Dr. Murtadha Jaleel Ibrahim (Member and Supervisor)
