RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — February 5, 2026 — In a major step toward modernizing its traditional livestock sector, Saudi Arabia has officially launched the “Camel Passport“ project. The initiative, inaugurated by Deputy Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Eng. Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti, aims to digitize and document the identity of millions of camels across the Kingdom.
With a camel population exceeding 2.2 million, Saudi Arabia is moving away from oral custom toward a data-driven system to track ownership, health, and lineage.
What is a Camel Passport?
The new passport serves as a comprehensive identification document, similar to human travel papers, but designed for the unique needs of the camel trade. Each passport is linked to an embedded microchip inside the animal, ensuring that the physical camel matches its digital record.
Key details included in the Camel Passport:
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Official ID: Passport number, camel name, and microchip ID.
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Physical Description: Date of birth, breed, gender, and specific coloring.
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Visual Verification: Photographs of the camel from both sides for precise identity confirmation.
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Health Records: A certified vaccination log, including signatures and stamps from attending veterinarians.
Boosting Market Value and Reducing Disputes
The primary goal of the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA) is to bring transparency to a market where top-tier camels can fetch millions of dollars at prestigious events like the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival.
By providing a verifiable “health and breed certificate,” the passport system is expected to:
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Increase Market Credibility: Buyers at international auctions can now verify an animal’s lineage and vaccination history.
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Protect Ownership Rights: The digital link to the owner reduces the risk of theft and legal disputes over high-value herds.
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Regulate Trade & Transport: Official documentation will be required for the sale, transport, and commercial trading of camels within and across borders.
A Vision 2030 Move for Livestock
The project is part of the National Program for the Development of the Livestock and Fisheries Sector, a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Beyond trade, the ministry plans to use the data for strategic livestock distribution and genetic performance analysis to improve local camel breeds.
“This is a qualitative step to regulate the sector and strengthen the Kingdom’s credibility in local and international markets,” a government official stated during the launch on Tuesday, February 4.
With approximately 80,000 camel owners in the Kingdom, this digital transformation marks the end of an era of informal record-keeping, ensuring that Saudi Arabia’s “Ships of the Desert” are managed with 21st-century precision.
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