Animal health project in Sahrawi refugee camps,

Tinduf (Algeria)

NgOs promoter: SIVtro-Veterinaires Sans Frontieres Italy and Africa’70

Donors: Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs (1999-2001) and European Union (2003-2006).

Period of data collection: october 1999-february 2002

Geographical position and contextSahrawi refugee camps are situated in a 10.000 square Km area nearby Tindouf (South

West Algeria).

In these 4 camps 160.000 refugees have been living for 28 years.

The present animal health project is concerned as support to the local veterinary service, by

providing technical assistance, formation, and carrying out the routinary activities (meat

inspection, clinical examination, laboratory diagnostics, etc.), in cooperation with the exps.

In the period considered, it was the first time that data about health status of livestock in

the refugee camps were collected. Because of the serious political, logistical and

economical problem the results at this level are obviously scant. A new project is now

running on, so improvements in livestock health and management are expected.

LivestockIn the refugee camps 30.000 sheep and goats, 617 camels, 180 donkeys are bred. There

are also small amount of chickens, hens and rabbits. Moreover, in the free territories in the

Eastern part of Western Sahara, there are some transhumant camel herds belonging to the

State or to private owners.

Infectious disease are scant, the biggest problem is nutrition due to complete absence of

pasture. Small ruminants are usually fed with rubbish (e.g. paper) and human food rest

(legumes, bread, rice, etc.)

Camel herds in refugee campsCamel census in the camps (2000): 617, female 57 %.

In the camps camels belong to private owners and are used mostly for meat. Dairy camels

are used to provide milk to the children and to affected people.

Disease Test Nr.sample Prevalence

TBC Bovine Tubercoline IDR

150 0%

Brucellosis RBT 4600 0%

Haemoparasite Blood smear 125 0%

Sarcoptic mange Skin scratching 125 0%

     

National and private transhumant camel herdsThere are also some camel herds belonging to Sahrawi government in the freed

territories of Western Sahara.

In the past the national herds were used as a meat source for the refugees.

Nowadays these camel herds are used as a self financing source.

Each herd is composed by 80-100 animals with one bull. The other males are

castrated at 3 years of age.

In these herds the most prevalent disease are sarcoptic mange (6%), and cutaneous

abscesses caused by acacia sticks, affecting above all the young animals,

characterised by thinner skin.

International Summer School, Enhancing Food Security in Arid Areas throuh Research on Old World Camel, 21 September-4 October 2003, Humboldt University, Berlin (Germany)

Broglia A., Ahmadi A., Di Lello S.SIVtro VSF Italy & NgO Africa 70

Sarcoptic mange in a young camel; motor oil is used by locals as treatment

Heavy tick infection in a dairy camel

The red arrow indicates the area of the refugee camps

Table. Some infective disease were screened in the camp camel herds but no positive case was registered

Contact address:

Alessandro Broglia, Africa70, SIVtro – VSF Italy

www.veterinarisenzafrontiere.it

Email: alessandro.broglia@africa70.org

Typical “corrales” in the refugee camps where animals are kept

Veterinary DepartmentSahrawi Arab

Democratic Republic

Europe Aid

The present project is financed by EU