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ANIMAL HEALTH
The comeback camels

in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Among&the&lush&and&fertile&lands&in&the& into camel production practices boosted
northwestern& region& of& the& Islamic& Re6 conservation efforts for this unique spe-
public&of&Iran,&the&Bactrian&camels&roam& cies. The introduction of the Sareban
the&area&once&again.
Yar application, which records the overall
The revival of this specific Iranian ca- health performance of the camels, was
melid species takes place in Ardabil city, customised to include the Bactrian spe-
a bustling capital surrounded by the cies and thus enabled camel producers to
Moghan plain. A symbol of Ardabil’s cul-
tural heritage, these camels were facing efficiently manage their herds. Microchips
the threat of extinction due to changing were also introduced to identify the cam-
land use and to the high cost and scarcity els, helping the government to keep track
of fodder. of the population and further strategic
“Our ancestors cared for the Bactrian conservation efforts.
camels for generations, motivated not
by profit, but by a deep passion for these “FAO entered the scene when Bactrian
magnificent animals,” reflects Ashkan camels were on the verge of extinction
Dadjoo, a 28-year-old camel producer. “But and made us realize that with unity, we can
sustaining them became increasingly chal- pave the way toward preventing extinction
lenging as our pastures shrank, making while generating income,” says Moham-
way for farmlands.”
mad Shahandeh, a camel producer and
Recognizing the livelihood and eco- participant in the project trainings.
nomic potential of these animals, the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the Reviving skills
United Nations (FAO) with the local Min- Central to the transformation of Ard-
istry of Agriculture - Jahad, embarked on abil’s camelid sector were the women of
a transformation of the camelid sector the community, whose traditional weaving
to tap into activities such as agritourism,
livestock feed production, wool and milk skills were also revitalised and enhanced
processing. with new technology.
FAO’s project centred on the conserva- FAO’s initiative provided training and
tion of Bactrian camels and equipped local workshops for wool processing. With new
communities with knowledge on sustain- equipment such as manual yarn spinning
able camel production practices as well
as on harnessing the potential of camelid wheels and fabric weaving machines, the
products. women can produce higher-quality fabric
more quickly than in the past.
Ensuring the health of camels
The health and conservation of the Bac- The project started with the delivery of
trians were first and foremost for the proj- camel wool to South Khorasan Province
ect. where it was distributed to various work-
To ensure this species’ continued ex- shops for processing. The women spin the
istence, FAO assisted in establishing the processed wool to obtain high-quality yarn
Bactrian Camel Owner Cooperative where which is then used to create assorted wool
camel herders receive proper training, valuable insight into embryo freezing and products such as fabric and socks.
equipment and tools to care for their ani- artificial insemination.
mals. For example, FAO provided feeding With the market value of processed yarn
equipment such as a mill mixer and silage The project also provided herders with exceeding the value of raw wool, these
bagger, which allowed herders to produce the knowledge and capacity to capitalize processing workshops created a space for
enough feed for their own herd and to earn on agritourism opportunities. An agritour- the women to utilize their traditional skills,
income from selling supplementary feed. ism expert and a facilitator who worked
The initiative was vital in ensuring that the closely with local nomads were brought enhancing their livelihood opportunities
camels received sufficient nutrition, essen- in to teach herders ways to attract tour- and empowering them to make economic
tial for their health and long-term produc- ists interested in traditional camel herding decisions for themselves.
tivity. and the cultural heritage of Ardabil. Their
guidance on marketing these experiences The revival of Bactrian camels in the
Additionally, FAO supplied small-scale not only focused on economic benefits but Moghan plain not only preserved an im-
herders with nutritional supplements, vac- also on the importance of preserving the portant cultural heritage but also prompt-
cines and medicines to help improve the cultural and environmental significance of
well-being of their camels. A study tour to the camels. ed a growth in livelihoods, while promot-
Dubai on camel breeding and advanced re- ing sustainable production of camelid
productive techniques gave camel herders Moreover, incorporating technology products for the future. Circle 20 on enquiry card
Vol. 40 No. 7 15