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MAURITANIA 2025. Dromedary camels

Boutidouma, Mauritania, January 2025.
Vatimetou Zayed Elmouslimine, 49 years old mother of five, and president of the Teydouma camel milk transformation cooperative she founded in 2019, (R) works with a colleague at the cooperative facility in Boutidouma, Mauritania, 29 January 2025.

Mauritania is one of 90 countries whose populations depend heavily on camelids, which include alpacas, Bactrian camels, dromedaries, guanacos, llamas, and vicuñas. Dromedaries, the most common camel species in Mauritania, are the "key to the livelihoods of millions of households in hostile environments," according to FAO. It is home to a growing population of approximately 2 million dromedaries in a country with a population of 5 million, according to the latest census conducted by the Mauritanian Ministry of Livestock earlier this year. However, despite this abundance, the country’s demand for camel milk continues to outweigh the available supply. Camel milk processing has also bolstered the local economy by creating employment opportunities for rural women explained Vatimetou Zayed Elmouslimine, head of the Teydouma Cooperative, which specializes in the collection, processing, and sale of camel milk. "Mauritanians are still heavily dependent on milk imports," said Mohamed Salem, who is the coordinator of the Mauritanian Center for Camel Development. As a result, livestock rearing has moved to the forefront of research and investment.

01/29/2025

Location Boutidouma

File size 18.17 MB

Unique ID UF19D9Z

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