The Soul of the Desert: Nomadic Pastoralism and Ethical Camel Milk Sourcing in Pakistan

Across Pakistan’s vast arid and semi-arid expanses, from the rolling dunes of Cholistan and Thar to the rugged terrain of Baluchistan, nomadic pastoralist communities have forged a profound, centuries-old symbiosis with the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius). More than mere livestock, camels represent cultural identity, economic sustenance, and a resilient adaptation to some of the harshest climates on earth. These herding communities, including the Kuchi (Pashtun nomads historically traversing between Afghanistan and the Indus Valley), Powindas (long-range traders and herders), and indigenous groups like the Raika in bordering regions (whose influence extends into Pakistani pastoral practices), maintain intricate knowledge of seasonal migration routes, animal husbandry, and environmental management. Their lives revolve around the rhythmic patterns of transhumance, moving herds across vast distances in search of scarce water and forage, guided by stars, wind patterns, and ancestral pathways. This nomadic existence is deeply embedded in cultural and spiritual beliefs. Camels are a primary measure of wealth and social standing, intrinsically tied to notions of hospitality, generosity, and community survival, particularly celebrated in folklore, poetry, and song.

Camel milk, often termed “white gold” by these communities, transcends its role as mere sustenance. It is a lifeline – a nutrient-dense food source uniquely produced by camels even during severe droughts when other livestock perish. Nomadic families consume it fresh, fermented (as susaac, similar to Somali traditions), or in tea, relying on its ability to stay fresh longer without refrigeration during arduous migrations. Biochemically, it is a remarkable fluid: lower in fat and sugar than cow’s milk, rich in vitamin C (three times more), iron, protective proteins like lactoferrin and immunoglobulins, and insulin-like compounds. This composition grants it recognized medicinal properties within traditional knowledge systems, used to treat ailments from diabetes and gastritis to postpartum recovery and immune boosting, benefits increasingly validated by modern science. Its suitability for lactose-intolerant individuals further enhances its value.

Despite its cultural centrality and nutritional prowess, Pakistan’s camel populations face alarming threats, declining nationally from nearly a million in 1961 to an estimated 1.1 million today, with significant regional variations and ongoing challenges. Climate change exacerbates these pressures, causing rangeland degradation, water scarcity, and the spread of livestock diseases, directly impacting milk production and herd viability. Compounding these ecological and economic pressures are socio-political instabilities, particularly along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Border closures and military tensions severely disrupt centuries-old migratory routes of groups like the Kuchi, restricting their movement and access to traditional pastures in Pakistan, leading to herd losses and heightened vulnerability. Nomads also report increasing hostility from settled communities, who deny them access to water and resting grounds along their routes.

Despite a nationwide ban on commercial livestock exports since 2013 to stabilize domestic markets and prevent smuggling. However, diplomatic exemptions allow for unconventional camel exports to Arab states, particularly the UAE. Pakistan permits unconventional camel exports to Arab states, particularly the UAE, under diplomatic exemptions. These exports—often framed as non-commercial or royal gifts—allow Arab royal families to import camels for cultural purposes, as evidenced by over 3,000 animals exported to 16 Gulf royal families in 2009 alone. This policy prioritizes diplomatic appeasement over conservation, exacerbating the decline of Pakistan’s camel populations, which have stagnated at approximately 1 million since 2013.

The exemptions critically threaten indigenous breeds like the Kharai camel, already endangered by habitat degradation and lack of state protection. Environmentalists warn that such exports, combined with smuggling to Iran and Arab markets, compromise genetic diversity and jeopardize pastoral livelihoods.

In response to these existential threats and recognizing the unique value of camel milk, initiatives promoting ethical sourcing have emerged, aiming to create sustainable market alternatives for pastoralists while preserving their nomadic way of life and ensuring animal welfare. Ethical sourcing in this context prioritizes:

1. Direct Trade and Fair Compensation: Initiatives like Camel Charisma and India’s Bahula Naturals exemplify direct trade by establishing milk collection centres near herders’ migration routes, eliminating exploitative intermediaries. As a community-owned enterprise, Bahula Naturals ensures pastoralists retain a higher share of product revenue, fostering local agency. Its model—integrating ethical sourcing, renewable energy (solar chilling), and fair compensation—offers transferable strategies for uplifting Pakistani herders in regions like Bahawalpur and Multan.

2. Integration of Traditional Knowledge: Ethical models respect and incorporate indigenous husbandry practices. This includes free-range grazing on diverse native flora essential for the camels’ health and the milk’s unique phytochemical profile, traditional milking techniques often performed by specific community members, and indigenous veterinary knowledge (ethno-veterinary practices) widely used for primary healthcare.

3. Maintenance of Mobility: Recognizing that confinement is detrimental to camel health and welfare, ethical sourcing supports nomadic practices. Collection networks are designed to be mobile or strategically placed along migration corridors, allowing herders to maintain their seasonal movements while delivering milk. Companies like Madina Merchants (pioneer in camel milk collection at industrial level)  and ELC Biotech utilize strategically located collection centres with chilled transport to bridge the gap between mobility and market needs.

4. Animal Welfare and Sustainable Production: Studies show camels under pastoralism exhibit significantly better welfare indicators (especially regarding “Appropriate Behaviour”) than those in intensive systems. Ethical sourcing inherently supports this low-stress, natural lifestyle. Protocols emphasize humane handling, avoidance of UHT processing (which destroys beneficial micronutrients in camel milk), and sustainable herd management that doesn’t push animals beyond their biological limits.

5. Traceability and Value Addition: Some models, like Camel Charisma’s artisanal cheese, implement traceability back to individual herds, adding value while connecting consumers to the product’s origin story. Madina Merchants employs modern cold chains, GPS-tracked refrigerated transport, and sustainable packaging to maintain quality and reduce environmental impact from milking to market.

Despite these promising models, significant challenges hinder the scaling of ethical camel milk production in Pakistan. The supply chain remains underdeveloped, heavily reliant on costly cold chain infrastructure often absent in remote desert areas, making consistent collection and preservation difficult. National dairy standards and regulations are primarily designed for bovine milk, creating hurdles for the unique properties and smaller-scale, mobile nature of camel milk production. Limited domestic consumer awareness about camel milk’s taste and benefits, coupled with palates accustomed to sugary, processed foods, restricts market growth. Furthermore, pastoralists themselves face structural barriers: limited access to veterinary services, credit facilities, education, and market information hinders their ability to invest and adapt. Government policies often lack targeted support for nomadic pastoralism, focusing instead on sedentary agriculture or intensive livestock farming.

The future of Pakistan’s nomadic camel herding communities and the ethical sourcing of their precious milk hinges on concerted, culturally sensitive efforts. Preserving migratory corridors and securing communal grazing rights through land-use policies that recognize pastoralists’ historical access is paramount. Developing camel-specific dairy standards and infrastructure, including mobile chilling units and decentralized processing facilities, is crucial for market integration. Intensified research into camel nutrition, health, welfare under pastoralism, and milk science can improve productivity and validate benefits. Crucially, empowering pastoral communities through education, access to finance, direct market linkages, and involving them in policy dialogue is essential. Their traditional knowledge is not obsolete; it’s a vital repository of adaptation and sustainability in the face of environmental change. Ethical sourcing, therefore, is more than a market niche; it represents a pathway to ecological conservation, cultural preservation, climate resilience, and social justice. By valuing the nomadic way of life and ensuring its practitioners reap fair rewards from their “white gold,” Pakistan can safeguard a unique heritage while offering the world a truly sustainable and health-promoting superfood from the heart of its deserts.

Glossary

• Dromedary: The one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius), the primary species found in Pakistan and surrounding arid regions.
• Ethno-veterinary Practices: Traditional knowledge and methods used by pastoral communities for preventing and treating animal diseases, often using local plants and techniques.
• Kuchi: Pashtun nomadic pastoralists historically migrating between Afghanistan and Pakistan (particularly Balochistan and the Indus Valley), raising sheep, goats, and camels.
• Powindas: A term historically used for long-range nomadic traders and herders (often from the Ghilzai confederation) operating between Afghanistan and the Indus plains, combining livestock movement with commerce.
• Raika (Raji): A Hindu nomadic community primarily in Rajasthan, India, renowned for camel herding, with deep cultural and religious ties to the animal. Their practices influence and share similarities with some Pakistani herding groups.
• Susaac: Fermented camel milk, a traditional preparation known for its tangy flavour, probiotic properties, and longer shelf life, consumed by various nomadic groups including Somalis and relevant as a product concept.
• Transhumance: The seasonal movement of livestock and herders between fixed summer and winter pastures, typically between lowlands and highlands, following the availability of grazing and water.
• White Gold: A term used by pastoral communities (like the Bedouin and Somali) and increasingly in commerce to denote camel milk, reflecting its high economic and nutritional value, especially in arid regions.

References

1. Faraz, A., Waheed, A., Mirza, R.H., Ishaq, H.M. & Tariq, M.M. (2021). Socio-economic constraints on camel production in Pakistan’s extensive pastoral farming. Pastoralism, *11*(2). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00183-0 
2. Jasra, A.W., & Isani, G.B. (2000). Camel rearing in Cholistan Desert of Pakistan. Pastoral Development Network Paper, 38c, ODI London. (Note: While the exact Jasra & Isani 2000 paper isn’t directly linked, 12 cites their work extensively on Pakistani camel pastoralism and its socio-economic role). 12
3. Kohler-Rollefson, I. (2024). Camel Cultures: Historical and Contemporary Significance. (Based on content attributed to Dr. Ilse Kohler-Rollefson, a leading camel conservationist, in 1).
4. Padalino, B., & Menchetti, L. (2024). Welfare assessment of dromedary camels kept under nomadic pastoralist conditions in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, *11*, 1442628. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1442628 10
5. FAO. (2019). FAOSTAT Database: Live Animals. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (Provides the camel population figure for Pakistan cited in 12).
6. Rathore, H.S. (2025). To Save Camels, Herding Families Are Rethinking Traditional Beliefs About Pastoral Milk. The Locavore. (Provides specific details on cultural beliefs, challenges like the Rajasthan Camel Act, and initiatives like Camel Charisma and Bahula Naturals).
7. ELC Biotech. (2025). Camel Milk Collection, Processing and Export. (Details modern collection, cold chain, processing – pasteurization, powder production – and export practices in Pakistan).
8. Al Haj, O.A., & Al Kanhal, H.A. (2010). Compositional, technological and nutritional aspects of dromedary camel milk. International Dairy Journal, *20*(12), 811-821. (Provides scientific basis for the nutritional and functional properties summarized in 817).
9. Faye, B. (2015). Role, distribution and perspective of camel breeding in the third millennium economies. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, *27*(4), 318-327. (Offers a broader context on the global significance of camel pastoralism and milk, relevant to the Pakistani case).
10. Khan, B.B., Iqbal, A., & Riaz, M. (2003). Production and Management of Camels. University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. (A key Pakistani academic text on camel husbandry cited in 12). 
11. Dawn. (2014). Camel trade in danger.
12. Medindia. (n.d.). Camel Species Unique To Pakistan Should Be Saved From Extinction.