Evaluation of camel milk project series in Isiolo, Kenya

In the arid regions of Kenya, camels play an increasingly important role in securing people's livelihood, especially with their milk. However, many pastoralist communities don't have a tradition of camel keeping and hygienic milk handling.

Factsheet

Lead school School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences
Institute HAFL Institut Hugo P. Cecchini
Agriculture
Research unit International Agriculture and Rural Development
Funding organisation Others
Duration 01.03.2021 - 31.03.2022
Project management Dr. Pascale Waelti
Head of project Dr. Pascale Waelti
Project staff Dr. Pascale Waelti
Nancy Bourgeois Luethi
Melina Griffin
Partner Vétérinaires Sans Frontières

Situation

HAFL was commissioned to conduct an impact assessment of the camel project series implemented by VSF-Suisse. The NGO started to promote the camel value chain in Kenya in 2010 and some projects are still ongoing until December 2021. Activities of VSF-Suisse included restocking poor households with camels and partly goats, training in camel health and disease management, as well as trainings in milk hygiene, value addition and business skills. Moreover, community disease reporters were educated to help cover remote areas with contact persons for animal health.

Course of action

Literature review followed by surveys with three different stakeholder groups: pastoralist people in Isiolo county (beneficiaries of restocking measurements); camel milk traders in Isiolo county that are bringing camel milk from Isiolo to Eastleigh, Nairobi; camel milk traders in Eastleigh, Nairobi. Supplementation and data triangulation through key informant interviews.