In support of a new vision for the camels of Rajasthan
All desert regions will face climate and environmental issues in years to come. Losing an animal that experts see as one of the best options for food security in arid zones is not a good choice for rural India.
These are some of the camel experts, economists and community leaders who support the call for a new vision to save the camel in Rajasthan.
Bibek Debroy Member, Niti Aayog (National Institute for Transforming India); economist and author; Professor, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi.
Sanjay Barnela Eminent documentary filmmaker. Founder of Moving Images (www.movingimages.com); 2014 CMS Vatavaran Prithvi Ratna Award for work in enhancing knowledge on environment, conservation and livelihood issues.
Ashish Kothari Co-Author, Churning the Earth: The Making of Global India (2012); Coordinator of India's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan process; Member of Kalpavriksh.
Vasant Saberwal Author, Pastoral Politics: Shepherds, Bureaucrats and Conservation in the Western Himalaya (New Delhi, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999) ; Co-author, Democratizing Nature: Politics, Conservation and Development in India (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2006).
Dr Chanda Nimbkar Head of Animal Husbandry division, Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Maharashtra.
Bernard Faye Founder of ISOCARD (International Society of Camelid Research and Development); FAO consultant as international camel expert.
Kuldeep Kothari Secretary, Rupayan Santhsthan.
Paul Robbins Director, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Shri Harjiram Raika, President, Godwar Unt Palak Samiti
Shri Babulal Raika, community leader and panch
Shri Bhom Singh Rathore, President, Jaisalmer Unt Vikas Samiti
Dr Ilse Köhler-Rollefson Co-founder of the League for Pastoral Peoples (www.lpp.org); Rolex Awards Laureate; Author, Camel Karma (Tranquebar Press 2014).
Devinder Sharma Food Policy Analyst and columnist.