Camel keepers push for State support

Some of the participants at the World Camel Day and Nuug Camel Milk Launch in Nairobi yesterday.

Camel keepers have urged the government to focus on breeding and value addition on products such as milk, meat and hides.

Speaking in Nairobi during celebrations of the World Camel Day, participants said the sector should be given more attention because of its contribution to the economy.

“For a long time, camel farming has not been given the attention it deserves,” said Khalif Abey, national coordinator of Kenya Camel Association.

“For instance, in the National Livestock Policy document, camel rearing is discussed only in a single paragraph yet the sector is contributes significantly to the economy from its milk, meat, hides and skins.”

Mandera North MP Bashir Abdullahi is spearheading a Livestock Marketing and Production Bill that he says will tackle all issues on livestock products, including camel rearing.

“The Bill has passed initial stages including getting approval by the Budget Committee and is now published and with the Agriculture Committee which will bring it to the floor of the National Assembly for debate,” said Mr Abdullahi.

He said there is need to harness the camel value chain and ensure availability of the products in restaurants and shops across the country.

According to a 2018 report by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, milk intake was about 50 million litres from the formal sector and 634 million through informal channels.

“Only 15 per cent of camel milk comes to the market, meaning the potential has not been harnessed fully,” said Mr Abey.

A litre of pasteurised camel milk sells at Sh160 in supermarkets, compared to the Sh110 for a litre of cow milk.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan also called on the sector players to improve on distribution so that the products are widely available, and adopt standardisation to have a healthy and clean product.