Typology and trajectories of camel farms in the Ouargla region, south-east Algeria

Abstract

Background: The dromedary is one of the main resources of Algeria’s Saharan territory. Aims: The present study aims to establish a typology of camel breeders and to analyze the evolution of their breeding trajectories, in order to identify the main functions of the animals in the Ouargla region, in the context of global change. Methods: For this purpose, 29% of the breeders present in the study region, distributed in six localities, were monitored in the field during the period 2018-2020. The work method borrowed expresses the systems approach, whose investigative tool was based on retrospective life-story surveys. Results: Multivariate analyses based on qualitative variables identified four groups of camel breeders. These groups can be summarized as follows: i) breeder-fatteners; ii) opportunistic breeders; iii) conservative breeders; and iv) specialized camel breeders. The typology revealed far-reaching changes in camel breeding practices and management methods, under the influence of socio-economic and socio-cultural factors that have transformed camel breeding systems in the Ouargla wilaya since Algeria’s independence in 1962. Conclusion: Today, the dromedary is an integral part of the daily life of the local population and bears witness to its exceptional status, playing a key role in the past, the present, and promising to be even more so in the future.