Advancement in assisted reproductive technologies in the dromedary: Opportunities and challenges for Kenya

Background: Dromedaries have a central economic, social, and cultural role for pastoralist communities in Africa, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions marked by recurrent droughts and scarce vegetation. In these harsh environments, camel milk and other products are a primary source of livelihood and an important source of nutrients for the whole household. Despite their importance, the genetic potential of the dromedary in Kenya remains largely underexploited, with traditional camel-keeping practices still primarily performed. For several decades, there has been minimal investment and research in dromedaries in Kenya, with the economic and ecological significance of camels kept by pastoralist communities undervalued. The situation is changing rapidly as demand for camel products in the global market is rising and consumption is increasing due to their nutritional and health benefits. Methods: This review examines traditional camel management practices, current breeding strategies, the use of genomic tools, and reproductive technologies for dromedaries in Kenya. The technological advances in dromedary breeding in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) are evaluated, and their successes, challenges, and applications to the Kenyan scenario are discussed. A thorough data-mining exercise was conducted to document publications on the use of technologies such as artificial insemination, embryo transfer, cloning, and marker-assisted selection in the dromedary in Kenya and globally. Results: No studies documented the use of any Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ARTs) in dromedaries in Kenya. On the African continent, the use of reproductive technologies was reported in North Africa mainly Egypt. Our findings indicated that management and breeding practices in Kenyan camels are primarily based on applying indigenous knowledge to select breeding stock based on parental historical performance, adaptability, milk yield, and disease resistance. We have explored the challenges of implementing breeding technologies in pastoralist systems, such as a lack of a cold chain for semen conservation, poor infrastructure, limited funding and investment in the camel sector, and socio-cultural beliefs that may hinder technology adoption. Conclusion: We recommend strategies to overcome the barriers, such as systematic genetic evaluation, structured selection of superior breeding females and bulls, and community-based breeding programs as practical, sustainable pathways for genetic improvement and optimal utilization of camel genetic resources in extensive production systems.

University of Nairobi