Integrated Impact of Climate Change and Socioeconomic Development on the Evolution of Camel Farming Systems

In Sub-Saharan countries, climate change has already been observed for several decades and is characterized by the decrease in mean rainfall with extensive periods of drought followed by short but severe rains. The dromedary camel, adapted to arid lands and low nutritive natural resources, follows the aridification of ecosystems as she/he did so when moving into Africa through the Sinai Peninsula at the beginning of the Christian era. Thus, the on-going desertification in Northern Africa increases the camel distribution area, both geographically and socially, e.g. with regard to its use by people who are not traditionally camel keepers. Elsewhere, camels are used differently, i.e. for their products (milk, agricultural work) rather than for their traditional uses (packing or riding). On the other hand, facing more contrasted crop ecosystems and an unbalanced climate, which seem to contribute to emerging diseases with complex and often unknown aetiologies, caused high unexplained deaths. These global trends would trigger more changes of camel farming systems in Sahelian countries if climate change intensifies continuously in the next decades.