BEYOND COWS AND GOATS: UNVEILING CAMEL MILK’S SECRET HEALTH REVOLUTION AND PROFITABLE SOURCE OF INCOME.

You can never regret investing in farming, especially livestock farming. It’s like saving money and getting the added benefit of earning a profit from your savings. Livestock deals with several streams of income. What comes to your mind when I speak of livestock? Livestock mainly refers to domesticated animals like cattle, goats, sheep, poultry, and other animals kept for various agricultural purposes. Let us agree that dairy is one of the primary purposes, farmers engage in livestock-keeping.

Milk, bongo, yogurt, gee, cheese, and butter are all products of the dairy sector, and the demand for them is high in all communities.

Did you know that camels can be raised for their milk?

Let’s explore the practice of keeping camels for their valuable milk in Uganda. I will also share the story of a businessman who uncovered this opportunity and profited from selling camel milk.

Camel milk has not traditionally been a major industry in Uganda. In contrast, countries like Kenya, Somalia, or Ethiopia, where camel herding and milk production are more established due to the arid climates and pastoralist cultures. In Uganda, people practice camel milk production in the Karamoja region because of the arid conditions.

The Dairy Industry Act of Uganda regulates the production and processing of dairy products. It authorizes the production of Goat, Cow, and Camel milk as the three main categories.

The main difference between Camel milk and other types of milk is its primary use for medicinal purposes. People have used camel milk as medicine for a long time because of its therapeutic properties, attributed to its components, particularly vitamins.

Camel milk is different from other ruminant milk in different ways.

• It is rich in vitamin C and protective proteins such as lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, immunoglobulins, and lysozyme.
• It serves as an option for individuals intolerant to lactose in cow’s milk since it is lactose-free.
• Camel milk is also extraordinary in terms of antioxidative agents and possesses anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-hepatitis, and anti-arthritis properties, as well as benefits in preventing aging, remedying autoimmune diseases, and cosmetics.

• The insulin in camel milk is safe and effective in improving long-term glycemic control in diabetic patients. Moreover, camel milk reduces autism symptoms in children. The lactoferrin contained in it can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. It’s also rich in magnesium and zinc, thus acting as an anti-ulcer agent.

Case study

Ahmed purchases camel milk from the Karamoja region. After obtaining the milk from a farm, he transfers it to Jinja and smokes it for preservation. With the support of the Dairy Development Authority (DDA), Mr. Ahmed was able to acquire cans to transport the milk. He sells each half-liter for UGX 15,000 as a finished product. Mr. Ahmed Abdi, a resident of Jinja town, joined the camel milk business in 2021.

Mr. Ahmed points out some challenges of doing this kind of business;

• He notes that hygiene is the main challenge. The hygiene of the farmers who supply him with the milk is sometimes not up to standard, as they do not have sufficient equipment for collecting and storing the milk safely.
• The country has a limited amount of milk due to the small number of camel farmers.
• He also faces challenges in accessing materials for packaging his milk.
• The market for camel milk is constrained by a lack of awareness regarding its advantages milk.

Mr. Ahmed advises anyone interested in joining the business to be patient and to offer products that meet high standards for their customers. He believes that an increase in the number of camels in the country would enhance the business. Furthermore, he urges the government, through the DDA, to raise awareness about the benefits of camel milk compared to goat and cow milk.

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oridijoshua

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