SDG Tags: SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 15: Life on Land
Institutions: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has released a Draft Policy Paper proposing the launch of the National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI). This national mission aims to reverse the rapid and alarming decline in Indiaβs camel population, which has fallen by over 75% since the 1970s, with nearly 90% of the remaining animals concentrated in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The NCSI envisions a multi-dimensional strategy focused on conservation, rangeland restoration, and livelihood diversification for camel-rearing communities. The proposal, prepared in consultation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlights that previous policy measures have been fragmented and underfunded, and that the camelβs decline poses serious threats to the socio-economic stability of pastoral communities like the Raika and Rabari, and the ecological sustainability of Indiaβs arid regions.
Key recommendations include securing grazing rights, expanding and certifying camel milk markets, strengthening dedicated camel health and veterinary services, and reforming restrictive legal barriers like the Rajasthan Camel Act to balance conservation with livelihood rights.
This draft policy is a major step towards comprehensive, cross-sectoral governance for a critical livestock species that currently lacks focused national attention, directly impacting the livelihoods of desert communities, indigenous breed conservation, and the ecological health of arid ecosystems.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How will the proposed NCSI effectively coordinate policy and fund deployment across multiple Union Ministries and State Governments to ensure the long-term economic viability of camel rearing and the preservation of crucial grazing ecosystems?
Follow the full news here: https://www.dahd.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-09/NIC-merged.pdf