Centre plans National Camel Mission to save India’s dwindling desert icon

“To reverse the rapid decline of India’s camel population and restore its economic and ecological significance, a multi-dimensional strategy is essential,” the draft notes.

The NCSI, as envisioned, would bring together the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the Ministries of Environment, Rural Development and Tourism, and State governments, to ensure coordinated action.

The paper highlights that India is witnessing a rapid and alarming decline in its camel population, especially in the traditionally camel-rearing states of Rajasthan and Gujarat.

“Once a desert icon symbolising resilience and rural sustenance, the camel is now facing a crisis of survival,” it states, warning that the scale and speed of the decline “pose serious threats to the socio-economic stability of pastoral communities and the ecological sustainability of India’s arid and semi-arid regions.”

According to the 20th Livestock Census, India’s camel population stood at 2.52 lakh in 2019, down from about 11 lakh in 1977 and 4 lakh in 2013. Nearly 90% of these camels are concentrated in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The ministry’s move to create a dedicated national initiative assumes significance given that, so far, policy measures have been “fragmented, reactive, and underfunded.”

“Camels do not receive focused attention under India’s mainstream livestock development programmes, which typically prioritise cattle, buffaloes, poultry, and small ruminants,” the paper notes.

Although the National Livestock Mission (NLM) includes camels among its supported species, its implementation has remained limited to scattered breeding and small-scale entrepreneurship efforts.

The policy paper also recommends reforming legal barriers and enabling regulated trade.
It proposes a review of the Rajasthan Camel Act to “balance conservation with livelihood rights,” and calls for safe, traceable inter-state trade mechanisms, supported by better transport infrastructure and e-market platforms.

Additionally, it suggests a national camel awareness and education campaign, urging that camel-related themes be integrated into school textbooks, public campaigns, and rural fairs, and that World Camel Day (June 22) be celebrated nationwide to promote camel culture, conservation, and innovation.