1st King Abdulaziz Int’l Conference on Camels’ Economics, Organized

Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, in collaboration with the Camel Club and the International Camel Organization, participated in organizing the first King Abdulaziz International Conference on Camels, under the title “Camel Economics and Studies”, with the participation of several international and local speakers, specialized in camels.

The conference aimed to exchange ideas, information and the latest studies in the field of camels, to support the efforts of researchers, scientists, and those interested in scientific bodies, livestock breeders in general, and camel breeders in particular.

The Director-General of the General Administration of Livestock Services, at the Ministry, Dr. Ibrahim Qassem, delivered a speech at the opening of the conference, on behalf of the Undersecretary for Agriculture, Eng. Ahmed Al-Ayada, during which he explained that the ministry has given the camel sector and its economics great attention, through the establishment of specialized research centers and quality laboratories, foremost of which is the genome laboratory.

That will constitute a quantum leap in camel research, genealogy and genetic preservation, and the creation of a database that will help investors, breeders, and local and foreign markets to benefit from them.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is characterized by owning a large numbers of camels, amounting to nearly 1.8 million heads of various types, he said, pointing out that the ministry has implemented an important project over the camels, as it managed to number 1.6 million, and that work is currently underway to number the rest of the camels, located in the Kingdom.

He pointed to the importance of camel economics, too, which represented in its various products, and the diversity of areas of use between food, health and economics, in addition to the ancient Saudi heritage in the field of camels and breeders interested in raising it, since ancient times.

The ministry, through veterinary quarantines, inspect camel consignments, and work to ensure their health and freedom from animal diseases and common diseases, stressing the importance of the preventive, extension and curative veterinary services provided by the ministry through more than 180 veterinary clinics, in all regions.

In addition to the diagnostic services for various animal diseases through veterinary laboratories, numbering 12 equipped with the latest capabilities, as well as launching an agricultural extension platform, through which programs and events provide guidance and awareness for camel breeders and owners, he highlighted.

National Center for the Control of Agricultural Pests, Animal Diseases and their Vectors, he drew attention, was established by the ministry to raise the efficiency of programs to combat animal diseases, common diseases and various vectors of diseases.

It has also launched the electronic platform “Anaam platform” to inventory the data of camel breeders, he added, explaining that work is currently underway on the electronic link with the Camel Club.

The Saudi Camel Federation is to serve camel owners and breeders, stressing the importance of holding such conferences and events to exchange experiences and information, in the field of camels, calling for reaching the best and most appropriate recommendations, to improve and develop the economic and scientific camel field and research.