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CAMILK 2022

International Seminar

Fostering camel milk value chain: Challenges and future perspectives facing global changes

CAMILK 2024

October 02-04, 2024 | Djerba, Tunisia

Our Speakers

Bernard FAYE

PhD Paris University

Omar ALHAJ

PhD Petra University, Jordan

Touhami KHORCHANI

IRA Tunisia

Abdul Raziq KAKAR

Alain Dairy, UAE

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Bernard FAYE​

Vétérinaire, spécialisé en médecine vétérinaire tropicale, Thèse de l’université Paris-XII et HDR de l’université de Montpellier.

Séjour en Afrique pendant 8 ans (Ethiopie, Niger) pour des activités de recherche et développement (1975-1983) avant de rejoindre l’Institut National de Recherche Agricole (INRA) en tant que directeur du laboratoire d’écopathologie où il travaille sur la vache laitière.

Rejoint le CIRAD (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agricole pour le Développement) en tant que Responsable du Programme productions Animales (1996), puis en tant que Chef de projet Scientifique (2007).

Il est notamment à l’initiative de la création du Pôle de Recherche sur l’Intensification des Systèmes d’Elevage (PRISE) au Vietnam. Intérêt pour les camélidés lors de son premier séjour en Éthiopie en 1975, étudiant le métabolisme minéral. Peu à peu, grâce à ses multiples programmes de recherche en coopération et à son réseau international de scientifiques camélologues (Afrique du Nord et de l’Ouest et Corne de l’Afrique, Moyen-Orient, Inde, Asie centrale, Amérique latine), il fonde la Société internationale de recherche et de développement sur les camélidés (ISOCARD) en 1996 à Al-Ain (Emirats Arabes Unis) qu’il préside de 2006 à 2009, puis de 2018 à 2023.

En 2010-2015, il a travaillé en Arabie saoudite en tant que consultant de la FAO dans un centre de recherche sur les camelins, puis réalisé plusieurs missions pour le compte de la FAO au Maroc, au Tchad, au Kazakhstan, en Mauritanie et à Oman. Il a coordonné également plusieurs projets européens (SECOVILLE, PROCAMED). Récemment, il a été partenaire du projet européen CAMELMILK (programme PRIMA).

À l’heure actuelle, chercheur émérite au CIRAD et expert international indépendant sur les camélidés. Auteur de plus de 400 publications scientifiques, 340 communications dans des conférences nationales et internationales, 45 livres et chapitres dans des livres, 210 rapports techniques et 12 éditions scientifiques.

PhD Paris University

Omar ALHAJ

Omar Alhaj has excellent expertise in Dairy Biotechnology and is currently working as head of the Nutrition department at the University of Petra, Jordan. His Ph.D. and MSc. were awarded from Wales University, United Kingdom. He serves as a teaching associate professor and industry consultant at several institutions.

He has been granted many research project funds in his field. He authored over 60 manuscripts and book chapters in reputable journals and publishers, and he served as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed reputable journals and has several international research collaborations worldwide.

PhD Petra University, Jordan

Touhami KHORCHANI

Professor Touhami Khorchani, with an h-index of 21, earned his doctorate in Applied Biological Sciences (Animal Production) from the University of Ghent in Belgium. He specializes in animal nutrition, camel breeding, and product quality. Currently, he serves as a
senior researcher at the Livestock and Wildlife Laboratory (Institut des Régions Arides: IRA) in Medenine, Tunisia, where he previously led the laboratory from 2002 to 2017. At present, he holds the role of Director of International Cooperation at IRA.

Since joining IRA in 1988, Pr. Khorchani has been actively involved as a principal investigator or team member in numerous joint research projects funded by esteemed national and international agencies, including ACSAD, EU, UNU, FAO, and FIDA. His expertise lies in optimizing livestock nutrition through the valorization of agricultural by-products and addressing the challenges of climate change on animal species in arid regions, particularly camels and goats.

Pr. Khorchani’s scholarly contributions are wide, with over 185 publications (including papers, books, chapters, and conference papers) at both national and international levels. Among these, more than 55 papers are focused on camel research, ranking him as the 14th most productive author in the field in the world during the period from 1877 to 2022. Furthermore, he is an inventor or co-inventor of several patents related to camel milk, camel milk products, and camel skin.

Beyond his research pursuits, Pr. Khorchani is deeply committed to mentoring young scientists and livestock breeders. He dedicates a significant share of his time to nurturing students and professionals, imparting his wealth of knowledge and experience to inspire future advancements in livestock research. Moreover, he is highly regarded as a reviewer for several international journals and has contributed as a chair or committee member to organizing numerous scientific events at both national and international (including SIEFAD 2014 and the second conference of ISOCARD) levels as well.

Director of International Cooperation at IRA Tunisia

Abdul Raziq KAKAR

Dr. Abdul Raziq is working as Operation Manager Camel Farm Alain (Alwathba Camel Farm for Milk Production), Alain UAE since last 10 years. He has established the principles and practices for different aspects of camel dairying profession as; selection of camels for milk production, milking ability in Herringbone machine milking, breeding policies, feed & feeding, camel welfare, calf care, heard health management and milk quality. He is a well-known global camel dairying consultant, helping the camel herders in other parts of the world for sustainable and healthy heard management and production.

Dr. Raziq also worked as Professor and Dean in Veterinary Animal Science Faculty, Lasbela University of Agric. Water and Marine sciences, Pakistan.

Dr. Abdul Raziq Kakar has earned a title (comparatively recent term) of ‘camelogist’ whose focus on different camel aspects, especially the camels’ role in their original habitats, ecological footprints, future prospects, camel related policies with special focus on food security under climate change influence.

He documented different camel breeds in Pakistan with special emphasis on their milk production potential, i.e. KOHI, PAHWAL, RAIGI and some other breeds. His whole career articulates around the transformation of camel from a beast of burden to a sustainable farm animal.

He has earned some very special achievements, one of the most important is the foundation of the world camel day which is celebrated each year on22nd of June. Dr. Raziq determined the milk production potential of mobile camels herds and chalked out the lactation curve first
Published many scientific articles about the different aspects of camel production. Beside the scientific work, Dr. Raziq is writing on the day-to-day issues in print, social and digital media regarding the camel related policies, milk marketing, camel farming, welfare, sustainability, policies, etc.

He founded a camel advocacy forum ‘Camel4Life International’ promoting camel milk at global level with a state of the art website camel4all.info

Operation Manager Camel Farm Alain, Alain Dairy, UAE