Draft policy paper has been prepared by Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in consultation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). 

Key Highlights of Draft Policy Paper

• India’s camel population has declined by more than 75% since the 1970s.
• Drivers of Population Decline: Decline in traditional economic utility, loss of grazing lands, environmental stress (desertification, invasive species, prolonged droughts etc.), restrictive legal framework, underdeveloped markets for camel products etc. 
• Strategic Recommendations: Launching National Camel Sustainability Initiative (NCSI), securing grazing rights, strengthening camel dairy value chains, reviving camel-based tourism, and introducing veterinary and genetic conservation programs. 

About Camels

• Once revered as “Ship of the Desert”, camels are exceptionally suited to dryland ecosystems and are primarily reared (90%) in Rajasthan and Gujarat. 
  • Pastoralist communities associated with camel rearing include Raika, Rabari, Fakirani Jat, and Manganiyar communities.
• Characteristics: Survive days without drinking, travel long distances, feed on thorny desert plant species. 
  • Camels' humps store fats providing them energy when food is scarce and they store water in their blood cells, not their humps.
• Role of Camels: 
  • Ecological Role: Their low water needs, selective grazing habits, and soft-padded hooves help maintain vegetative diversity and prevent desertification. 
    • Camel dung enriches soil in arid regions.