Not shipshape
“For the camel breeders from Jojawar, this year’s trek to the Pushkar fair with their young camels could be their last one,” says an article in the Indian magazine Tehelka. “However, there is hope”, continues the article by Ilse Koehler-Rollefson of LPPS’s partner, the League for Pastoral Peoples and Endogenous Livestock Development. The article describes an LPPS project to revive camel husbandry by promoting value-added camel products such as milk and ice cream. “Camel milk ice cream sold like hot cakes at the Pushkar Fair, proving popular with both Indians and foreign tourists,” the article quotes LPPS director Hanwant Singh Rathore. Camel numbers in parts of Rajasthan have stabilized after decline, says Ilse. The rising price of fuel may have something to do with this: French research has found that farmers are now buying camels instead of tractors for ploughing and transport. The article appeared in the 22 December 2007 issue of Tehelka. Download full article 88 kb |