The Camel Applied Research and Development Network

The role of the camel is undergoing fundamental change. Pastoralists are becoming less nomadic and market production is gaining importance relative to that for subsistence. In this context, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD) organized a mission to evaluate existing camel research in the west Asia and north Africa region and to assess to what extent the needs of the small camel owners were being met. The mission recommended the establishment of the Camel Applied Research and Development Network in Asia and Africa to assist in improving camel production by the small owner and generating appropriate technologies in order to ensure sustainable resource use and long-term viability.