Town camels: Somali innovation in selling camel milk

On their own initiative, some Ethiopian pastoralists have started to raise livestock near towns in the drylands in order to supply milk to the urban market. The study “Town camels: pastoral innovation in a fast changing world – a case study from Gode town, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia” by Abdi Abdullahi Hussein et al (2011, 25pp) examines this endogenous innovation process in and around a small but rapidly growing town in eastern Ethiopia, where Somali pastoralists have recognised a growing market for camel milk. It shows the possibility of rearing camels in urban centres for improved livelihood of pastoralists who are leaving the traditional and more extensive production systems, but also the problems faced, especially in accessing fodder for the camels.

Posted on 5 November 2018 in Pastoral Research & Innovation, Pastoralism & Marketing, Pastoralist Livelihoods & Nutrition