Kenyans Turn to Camels to Cope With Climate Change
- Andrea Dijkstra
- Apr 25, 2017
- 1 min read
While parts of Kenya are becoming drier, a growing number of people are starting to keep camels. The animals are more drought-resistant than cows - and their highly nutritious milk is catching on around the world.
Bone-dry plains roasted by a relentless equatorial sun. At first glance, there's little to be found in the fields near Isiolo, a provincial town about five hours' drive north of the capital, Nairobi. But Mariam Maalim's camels still manage to find something to eat. They nibble at arid bushes, while the wooden bells around their necks tinkle softly.
"My husband and I had over a hundred cattle until 2005. But as the climate became drier in this region, the cows stopped producing milk, and twenty to thirty of our cows even died every year," says 45-year-old Maalim, dressed in a blue hijab. "This made us decide to shift to camels as they survive without water for over two weeks. They continue to give milk, and although they become weak and skinny, they won't die."
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