Bridging Knowledge and Technology Gaps in Camel Production

Abstract

At the international level, the economical importance o f camelids could be considered as low compared to other ruminants. With an official population o f 25 millions o f camels and 8 millions o f domestic small camelids, the world population is far away from the number o f cattle, sheep, and goats. However, the camelids are quite linked to some ecosystems: desert and semi-desert areas in old world and high mountains in new world. Camelids play important role (i) they are an essential element o f the margin ecosystems in arid lands for large came)ids and mountainous regions for small camelids; (ii) they allow to maintain a rural economical activities in those areas where the agriculture is impossible or very problematic; (iii) they are an important element in human population from those areas for poverty alleviation and food security; and (iv) they can play a role in the market oriented system by their production. Camelids could be adapted also to intensive farming system and express their productive potential, for both meat and milk and fibres. Therefore, the camelid are engaging in the modern productive revolution. They can enter in the modernity, to be adapted to intensification process and answer to the international animal products market. However, the training institutions and research institutes have to deepen their knowledge for a better insertion o f camel farming in this dynamic and support camel producers in these main changes. Yet, since a recent time, the scientific community interested by camelids was not structured. The foundation o f the Internationa] Society o f Camelid Research and Development is an important step for increasing the quality o f research activities on camelid.