1. 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 context Sahrawi 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. Livestock In 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 camps Camel 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. DiseaseTestNr.samplePrevalence TBC Bovine Tubercoline IDR 1500% BrucellosisRBT46000% Haemoparasite Blood smear1250% Sarcoptic mange Skin scratching1250% National and private transhumant camel herds There 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 Department Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Europe Aid The present project is financed by EU