Govt plans mission to reverse falling camel count, Pg5.

Key Highlights:

• The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying plans to launch the National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI) to address the declining camel population.
• The proposal was outlined in a draft policy paper prepared with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and circulated for public comments on September 29.
• India's camel population has declined from 11 lakh in 1977 to 2.52 lakh in 2019, a nearly 77% fall.
• Rajasthan and Gujarat account for nearly 90% of India's camel population.

Detailed Insights:

• The NCSI aims to bring together multiple departments and ministries, including the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, to ensure coordinated action for camel conservation.
• The rapid decline in camel numbers poses threats to the socio-economic stability of pastoral communities and the ecological sustainability of arid and semi-arid regions.
• Current policy measures are fragmented and underfunded, with camels not receiving focused attention under mainstream livestock development programs.
• The policy paper proposes a review of the Rajasthan Camel Act to balance conservation with livelihood rights and calls for safe inter-state trade mechanisms.
• A national camel awareness and education campaign is suggested, integrating camel-related themes into school textbooks and public campaigns.
• The National Livestock Mission (NLM) includes camels, but its implementation has been limited to scattered breeding and small-scale entrepreneurship efforts.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI): A proposed mission to reverse the decline in India's camel population and restore their economic and ecological significance.
• Rajasthan Camel Act: State legislation in Rajasthan concerning the conservation and regulation of camels, which the policy paper suggests reviewing.
• National Livestock Mission (NLM): A government initiative supporting livestock development, including camels, though its impact on camel populations has been limited.