An ambitious plan for the development of camel breeding is underway in the Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra region. The objective of the project consists of improving the productivity of breeding at the regional level. Considered as the symbol of the Southern provinces, camel breeding has always aroused the pride of the inhabitants of these regions, and to ensure its development a plan is being carried out in the Laâyoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra region, through which a budget of 198.566 million dirhams will be injected within the framework of this plan for the 2011-2020 period. Thus, according to the provincial directorate of agriculture in Laâyoune, this plan, which targets dromedary breeders in the region, has as its objective notably the organisation of the sector within the framework of cooperatives and associations and the improvement of breeders' income and profitability. Regarding the meat sector, this plan provides for support for the Regional Association of Dromedary Breeders, the creation of 10 gatherings for the benefit of breeders, as well as the acquisition of ten tanker trucks to supply the dromedaries with water.

As for the dairy sector, the plan aims notably at the construction and equipment of seven milk collection centres and three units for its industrialisation and transformation, as well as the construction of three model stables. These projects are part of the regional agricultural plan which is inspired by the spirit of the Green Morocco Plan, while being based on the results of the diagnosis of the current situation of the agricultural sector in the region. Thus, thanks to this plan, the structuring of this sector and the promotion of the breed will be carried out to meet consumption expectations.

Dromedary breeding is an income-generating activity at the level of this region which has a camel population of some 85 thousand heads, i.e. 45% of the national camel population which did not exceed 3 thousand dromedary heads in 1976, according to statistics from the provincial directorate of agriculture in Laâyoune. In recent years, this activity has experienced several changes, on the one hand the camel livestock has not ceased to decrease because of the numerous droughts that Morocco has experienced during the last two decades.

On the other hand, the phenomenon of sedentarisation which has favoured the appearance of other activities, notably commerce and industry. Already a young woman from Laâyoune has tried to set up an industrial unit for the exploitation of the production and the

marketing of dromedary meat, its by-products and the fat contained in its humps which is used in the manufacture of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products; this project is still not succeeding.

By: Mohamed Laabid