The international conference “Using the potential of camelids: increasing sustainability and opportunities for stable livelihoods” was held in Ashgabat in a hybrid format.

As reported by centralasia.news, the forum was timed to coincide with the fact that the UN declared 2024 the International Year of Camelids. Turkmen and foreign experts in the livestock industry took part in the conference. The moderator was Eran Raisman, senior specialist for livestock and veterinary medicine at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The forum was held in two sections. At the first section, Abolfazl Sharifyan, an expert on livestock farming in Iran, spoke via video link. He gave a brief overview of camel breeds and demographics. Shinar Ahmetsadykova, head of the department at the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Forage Production of this friendly country, spoke about the current state and prospects for the development of the camel farming industry in Kazakhstan.

Participants in the second section heard a report by Candidate of Biological Sciences Gurban Saparov on the development of camel farming in Turkmenistan on a scientific basis and the medicinal value of camel products.

Livestock farms in Turkmenistan breed dromedary camels of the Arvana breed. In addition, breeding work is being carried out along the Arvan family lines - Batly, Seleng, Gaplan, Gokgaplan, Gevers and Garagulak. Saparov drew attention to the fact that the joint activities of farm specialists and scientists are aimed at preserving and improving the gene pool of camels of this breed.

The conference was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan, the State Association of Livestock and Poultry Industry together with FAO.