Draft policy paper has been prepared by Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in consultation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Key Highlights of Draft Policy Paper
- India’s camel population has declined by more than 75% since the 1970s.
- Drivers of Population Decline: Decline in traditional economic utility, loss of grazing lands, environmental stress (desertification, invasive species, prolonged droughts etc.), restrictive legal framework, underdeveloped markets for camel products etc.
- Strategic Recommendations: Launching National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI), securing grazing rights, strengthening camel dairy value chains, reviving camel-based tourism, and introducing veterinary and genetic conservation programs.
About Camels
- Once revered as “Ship of the Desert”, camels are exceptionally suited to dryland ecosystems and are primarily reared (90%) in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- Pastoralist communities associated with camel rearing include Raika, Rabari, Fakirani Jat, and Manganiyar communities.
- Characteristics: Survive days without drinking, travel long distances, feed on thorny desert plant species.
- Camels' humps store fats providing them energy when food is scarce and they store water in their blood cells, not their humps.
- Role of Camels:
- Ecological Role: Their low water needs, selective grazing habits, and soft-padded hooves help maintain vegetative diversity and prevent desertification.
- Camel dung enriches soil in arid regions.
- Ecological Role: Their low water needs, selective grazing habits, and soft-padded hooves help maintain vegetative diversity and prevent desertification.
Key Camel Breeds in India
|
