Geographical Variation of Date Production in the Governorates of the Sultanate of Oman
(A Study in Spatial Analysis)
Abstract
This study aims to explore the geographical variability of date palm production in the Sultanate of Oman and to analyze its spatial patterns during the period 2022–2024, by applying spatial analysis tools using ArcMap GIS 10.8. The study relied on official data issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources. Quantitative analytical tools included hot spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) and spatial autocorrelation (Moran’s I) to identify areas of high and low concentration and productivity. The results indicate that the interior governorates, Al Batinah, Al Dhahirah, and North Al Sharqiyah, represent high-production areas with hot spots and positive spatial autocorrelation, whereas peripheral governorates such as Dhofar and Al Wusta exhibited cold spots and negative spatial autocorrelation, indicating a clustered pattern of date production within the northern-interior agricultural belt. Analysis of per-tree production revealed clear spatial differences, with the highest productivity rates recorded in Al Dhahirah and Dhofar despite a lower number of trees, reflecting variability in production efficiency. The study recommends enhancing water resource management, directing agricultural investments to improve per-tree productivity, expanding the use of modern irrigation and biological control technologies, and adopting a development approach based on spatially informed data.
References
2. المرشودي، سيف بن محمد. (2002). النخيل في سلطنة عُمان: الأصناف، الزراعة، والإنتاج. وزارة الزراعة والثروة السمكية وموارد المياه، سلطنة عُمان.
3. الكتاب السنوي للإحصاءات الزراعية وموارد المياه، وزارة الثروة الزراعية والسمكية وموارد المياه، سلطنة عُمان، 2021م.
4. الكتاب السنوي للإحصاءات الزراعية وموارد المياه، وزارة الثروة الزراعية والسمكية وموارد المياه، سلطنة عُمان، 2024م.
5. نتائج تقديرات الإنتاج المحلي من التمور في سلطنة عُمان ، وزارة الثروة الزراعية والسمكية وموارد المياه، سلطنة عُمان، 2024م.
6. Abdalla, O., & Al‑Abri, R. b. Y. (2011). Groundwater recharge in arid areas induced by tropical cyclones: Lessons learned from Gonu 2007 in Sultanate of Oman. Environmental Earth Sciences, 63(2), 229‑239.
7. Al Mamary, S., & Al Kalabani, S. (2010). Irrigation water management under small land holding in the Aflaj system (Oman): A new approach to overcome challenges of water scarcity. Technical Session, SubTheme 1. Royal Irrigation Department.
8. Al-Marshudi, A.S. (2002). Oman Traditional Date Palms: Production and Improvement of Date Palms in Oman. Agricultural and Food Sciences.
9. FAO, 2023. Date Palm Cultivation in the Near East Region.
10. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2023). Date palm production and value chains in the Near East and North Africa region: Status, challenges and opportunities. Rome: FAO. https://www.fao.org/publications.
11. Longley, P., Goodchild, M., Maguire, D., & Rhind, D. (2015). Geographic Information Systems and Science. Wiley.
12. Mtemeli, S., Mushayabasa, S., & Mudzengi, B. (2022). Application of GIS in Agriculture in Promoting Evidence-Informed Decision Making for Improving Agricultural Sustainability: A Systematic Review. Sustainability, 14(16).
13. UNFCCC. (2019). Second National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Sultanate of Oman. Muscat: Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs.
14. UNI Kassel. (n.d.). Atlas of irrigation and land use in arid regions: Sultanate of Oman. University of Kassel, Department of Agricultural Engineering.
Copyright (c) 2025 د. سالم بن ناصر العويسي , د. محمود محمد محمود سليمان
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
