CAMEL-SHIELD

Marginal in the Maghreb and even more globally, camel breeding systems remain important in desert areas not only from cultural and identity perspectives but also as important economic asset. Moroccan and Algerian Sahara provinces have economic and social interests to develop these systems since this activity is likely to supply local products with a high food value and a potential value-added for the southern areas in the major consumption basins of Northern cities. The camel sector is fully in line with the territorial and economic duality, thus contributing to the reduction of observed inequalities. In this context, CAMEL-SHIELD aims at providing management solutions adapted to local conditions to improve the adaptability of livestock systems to climate change. These solutions take into account access to resources, breeding and feeding management strategies based on available resources, herd needs and characterization of camel populations, in order to manage herd demographics and to adapt products to marketing potential. The project contributes to the valorisation of traditional and new camel products insuring food and nutrition security and opens up opportunities for the valorisation of by-products. In addition, as part of an economic globalization, the project will allow an acceleration of the local, regional or international market access for products hitherto limited to their production area by the identity dimension of products with an emotional and symbolic pre-eminence. The project proposes an inter-institutional cooperation, involving development partners, academics and different stakeholders of the whole camel sector, through an interdisciplinary approach by mobilizing expertise, skills and competences. This project gives priority to the expression of the needs of the actors and the search for cultural value shared, by the promotion of values associated with camel breeding and its production.