Another major challenge in the Thar Desert during and post lockdown can be identified amongst the camel herders. The travel restrictions have made the treatment facilities for the camel herders more distant and difficult to access which can be linked with the declining population of this majestic creature. To overcome the current scenario and to build a restorative strategy so that the camel herders are provided with ample resources, under the Camel Partnership with the aid of Holistic Rural Development Programme, a bulk Milk cooler was set-up in village Ganga Ram ki Dhani, Pokaran camel milk cluster, Jaisalmer district to enhance camel milk based livelihoods of camel herders and arrest the declining numbers of the camels. The team has been building capacities of camel herders on health and nutrition management, BMC Maintenance and marketing. The team is currently focusing on kickstarting the milk collection efforts. The setting up of the BMC marks a great milestone in the Partnership. This camel milk enterprise would serve as a model for a Rajasthan wide scale up. It would serve crucial in generating policy evidence that through the right livelihood systemic support the herder’s income would be supplemented and their interest in camel rearing would be revived.
With limited mobility and keeping in light the safety guidelines for COVID 19;
- Our team is currently supporting camel herders in 3 districts.
- Engagement with 1500 camel herding households and 14000 camels.
- 16 camps for 2829 camels
- As part of COVID-19 support, 682 camels were vaccinated in Pokaran.
- 8 camps for 983 camels were set up in Bajju and 600 vaccines were distributed for diseased camels to aid the camel herders during the pandemic.
- 4 camps to distribute vaccines/ vaccinate 1900 camels were organized in Chimana