Founded in 2010 by Hanwant Singh Rathore and veterinarian Dr. Ilse Köhler-Rollefson, Camel Charisma is a social enterprise based in Sadri, near Kumbhalgarh, in the Pali district of Rajasthan. They aim to preserve the region’s camel herding culture, and conserve the desert ecosystem in Rajasthan by developing and promoting products made out of camel milk. They source all raw materials from the Raika community moving within a 40-50 kilometre radius. Their current range of products includes fresh camel milk, camel milk powder, and gourmet cheeses made from camel milk, as well as camel ghee.
Contrary to the practice in most conventional dairy systems, Camel Charisma works in tandem with herders. The camels are kept in herds consisting of females, their offspring, and one male camel. Their partner herders do not separate mothers and their calves, and make sure the calves get an ample supply of milk. This is a regenerative, circular pastoral system based on biodiverse vegetation that is naturally available in the region. When camels nibble on these native plants, they support regrowth and regeneration of the land. Camel Charisma sources milk by 8 am every day from herders who milk their camels before the calves have suckled at around four o’clock in the morning. Once the milk is sourced, it is pasteurised and bottled at the dairy in Kumbhalgarh.
Camel Charisma provides better income opportunities for the traditional camel herding communities by paying their herders more than the average market price for camel milk. They also provide healthcare facilities for camels, as well as advocacy and legal support for grazing rights through their parent NGO, Lokhit Pashu Palak Sansthan (LPPS).
The Locavore Bite
TL Bite offers a glimpse into how a partner producer runs their operations, and reflects their core principles and values. The idea is to provide insights into their practices and highlight their positive efforts descriptively. We have identified seven key areas of assessment – origin and source of ingredients, composition and integrity of the products, workforce policies, production practices, community-related initiatives, approach towards preserving or celebrating traditional knowledge and the materials used in packaging. While this assessment may not be entirely comprehensive, we hope it helps you make an informed decision about why you might want to support them, and the ways in which to do so.
The information below offers you a snapshot of where Camel Charisma stands on these parameters. We have put this together based on several rounds of conversations with Ilse Köhler-Rollefson. Click on a piece of the pie below to find out more.
Why We Love Camel Charisma
Preserving age-old herding practices: Camel Charisma encourages their herders to continue practising mobile herding where the camels are free to roam around the desert, along with their herders, instead of being tied up. They also work towards conserving desert vegetation and biodiversity by offering advocacy and legal support to ensure that the camels have enough grazing space.
Native and biodiversity-rich feed: The camels feed on natural vegetation, which includes 36 native plants such as desi babool, khair, and hingota. These plants can survive long periods of droughts, and feeding on them helps camels produce high-quality milk with distinct flavour profiles, depending on what vegetation grows in a particular season. The camels also graze on thistle in harvested fields, which, in turn, helps farmers disperse seeds. The camels’ droppings also act as manure.
Promoting agro-tourism: In order to raise awareness about camel milk and also sensitise urban consumers to the desert landscape, Camel Charisma organises experiences for tourists like morning visits to the nomadic herds at their campsites where guests can learn about the situation of the herders and about camel management. These events help support local livelihoods and biodiversity.
What roles do camels play in preserving the ecosystem, especially in the Godwar region?
“The camels transport seeds of local trees and shrubs in their dung and hence support growth of new trees. They also remove weeds from farmers’ fields, such as the Indian Globe Thistle. At the same time, the camels provide organic manure essential to uphold soil fertility. The Raikas say that browsing by camels has the same effect as pruning and keeps trees healthy.”
—Dr. Ilse Köhler-Rollefson, Co-founder of Camel Charisma
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How to Buy
If you would like to learn more about Camel Charisma, or try their products, check out their website. If you’re interested in supporting them in other ways, please contact us at connect@thelocavore.in.
This is a paid partnership with Camel Charisma. At The Locavore, we strive to keep the practices of a producer transparent and honest across all forms of partnerships.
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