Camel dung is beautiful in its architecture, dry and odorless. Camels’ manure/dung is used as a fueling agent in many developing countries, especially among the pastoralists’ communities. It is ready to burn after very few minutes and does not need to dry in sunshine for many days like cows’ dung. In the small scaled farming system, it is used both for fuel and organic fertilizer. In northeastern Balochistan and Southern Afghanistan, it is used as a fertilizer for Pomegranate and wine trees(personal communication).
In Americas, the dung of new world’s camelid (Llama) is used to neutralize the acidic, metal-laden water through a highly unusual filter: llama droppings in Bolivia 1. It is a very good agent for filtration because of its higher fiber contents.
On the other hand, camels’ manure is going waste in countries (its original habitat) with highest camel population per unit land mass area (Gulf countries) in the world. UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar have the highest camel population on per unit land mass at the global level, producing millions of tons of manure annually; all going waste. I only found one reference that BP uses camels’ manure in Sharjah (UAE) for the decomposition of hydrocarbon leaked in the soil/water 2. Camels’ dung is used for Bio-Paper production in India but at a minor level.
Based in UAE, here a common misperception is prevailing regarding camels’ manure as; it has no value as fertilizer. This perception had made camels’ dung a valueless atom and it is a burden on camel breeders to properly dump. On contrary (research findings) camel dung has almost the same value as that of cow dung 3.
Photo credit by Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins from Australia
Camel dung decomposes faster than many others because of the diverse and stronger microflora in camels’ rumen. Camel is, therefore, more efficient in nutrient recycling, making camels’ dung more useful for cropping and farming. Hoffmann and Muhammad revealed that camel dung does not differ from cow and other ruminants’ dung 4.
In conclusion, camels’ dung is an untapped precious resource which is not properly utilized so far. The visionary and innovative opinion in Gulf countries, especially the UAE can bring silver sliding in the clouds and may find ways to use this precious resource for the agricultural development of the region. Also, the research institutes of the region should come forward to chalk out projects on the exploring true worth of camel dung.
Photo provided by Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins, Australia
This piece of the manuscript is the tip of the ice burg and brainstorming to launch a discussion regarding this precious organic material. I hope to hear from different quarters and to find ways for its judicious use. The GAA of the FAO can be a great forum to address this issue.
“A dairy camel weighing 600 kg produces 15-17 kg dry manure daily. The racing and other camels produce half of that quantity. In a 1000 camels’ dairy, the daily manure production is about 16,000 kg. All this asset is going waste. On the other hand, the date palm waste is also going waste. There is no use at all. The camel dung (with a high and diversified level of microflora) can be a potential decomposing agent for the date palm waste. Both wastes in combination can be a potential asset for organic farming in the region.”
I hereby suggest some of few ways can be the best use for camels’ dung.
- Farm Yard Manure/fertilizer
- Material to combat desertification and dune fixing
- Bio-paper
- Bio-gas
- Power generation
References
- Bijal P. Trivedi. 2002. Llama Dung May Be Used to Clean Bolivia Water Supply. National Geographic Published online (ttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/02/0205_0205TVllamadung.html)
- Godfrey Uzodinma Iregbu, Ibrahim Hayatu Kubkomawa, Chidiogo Grace Okoli, Emanuel Chinedum Ogundu, Martin Chukwudi Uchegbu, Ifeanyi Charles Okoli. 2014. Environmental concerns of pig waste production and its potentials as biofuel source Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences 2014; 1(3): 17-24. Published online November 10, 2014 (http://www.openscienceonline.com/journal/javs)
- M. Irshad, A. E. Eneji, Z. Hussain and M. Ashraf. 2013. Chemical characterization of fresh and composted livestock manures. Journal of soil science and plant nutrition. Published online (http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-95162013005000011)
- Hoffmann, I. & Mohammed, I. 2004. The role of nomadic camels for manuring farmer’s fields in the Sokoto close-settled zone, Northwest Nigeria. Nomadic Peoples 8(1): 1-14.
I wish the interested people come with practical response.
Dear Sir,
depending on the chemical parameters (N,P,K, ODM, DM) of Camel dung it might be possible to make a good compost of it. And even better if you can make a mixure with organic matter from Municipal Solid Waste. Than you would also need a MSW processing / separation facility. If there is a need for renewable energy you can produce this from biogas (electrical, heat or else) then the organic matter from camel dung + organic part of MSW can be processed in a biogas plant producing biogas and fertiliser. http://www.adverio.eu
We can make a feasibility study and concept engineering for such a plant for the client. Provide us with basic information and we make you an offer.
Yes, that is great idea. I shall turn to you soon.
You can contact me via email as
raziq2007@gmail.com
Thank you for the information!
I wonder something as well, it has very limited weeds’ seeds as camels merely depend on browsing of larger trees in which rate of seed browsing is minimal. However, small ruminants and cattle have higher access to ingest weeds’ seeds hence, their unprocessed/ not decomposed manure will be resulted in growing of weeds whenever used in farms.
yes, camel manure is more credible than others.
I found some more references as; the camel dung is not different in quality from cow and other ruminants’ dung. Also that camel rumen is more efficient to recycle nutrients. This phenomenon makes the camel dung more soft and increase its solubility in the soil. A friend from Australia commented in facebook page on the link as stated; she used camel dung which is far better in results than others but need proper process and treatment to make a proper compost.
Another update, a mature daily camel produces almost 21 kg wet dung (25%moisture), and produce up to 15 kg dry dung.
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Here are some comments pasted on my facebook page regarding the usefulness of camel manure in Australia.
Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins
Here are some herbs and vegetable seedlings grown in composted camel manure, euc/pine mulch and coarse sand. Full of worms. The picture is given inside the text.
Raziq Ark Biodiversity
The idea is really great . We have manure in bulk quantity . I have point of view to use dates palm waste with camels manure to make a compst with high level of moisture keeping quality
Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins
Yes that will work well. If you are sowing seed direct into the ground this will be a great way to add moisture. Perhaps place some thick see through plastic over in a tunnel like structure to generate moisture to aid in the breakdown of materials. But make sure there is enough oxygen getting to it also. You will know the quality by the look, feel and smell of the compost. Camel dung has amazing microbes that break down other materials very very quickly, as i have said.
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Reblogged this on The world around us.
Thanks for sharing
Reblogged this on Small Scaled Farmers and the pastoralists are the backbones of animal agriculture. They play a pivotal role not only in producing quality food item but also conserving the genetic resources as well as nature for the next generations. Contrast to the factory farming small scaled farming and pastoralism do not use (up to their level best) pesticides and chemical fertilizers etc. They do not harm the nature by the blind use of inputs like energy and water. They are the custodians of the genes and nature. and commented:
Still a waste?
this is really fantastic work. My appreciation goes for your novels work
Thanks very much. We are really looking forward
Please lets do it together and keep in touch. I really found it outstanding work
I shall let you keep in touch. You are welcome. Together we can change the world.
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i get it as excellent information especially for desert area of Ethiopian context. thanks for the information.
You are welcome. You can please write some information about the traditional use of camel manure among the pastoralists communities in Ethiopia.
Great work sir..Further research on this can minimize the use of inorganic fertilizers which are very hazardous to the ecosystem.
yes, we should promote and use this precious but untapped natural resource
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