Sustainability assessment of camel breeding: The case of northwestern rangelands in Iran

This study examines the viability of the traditional rangeland-based camel breeding over the long term in Khorkhor village, Iran, emphasizing social, economic, and environmental factors. From 2018 to 2019, data was collected using the sustainability barometer methodology, which included structured questionnaires, interviews, and field observations. The findings show variable levels of sustainability across dimensions: excellent social health (80 %) but lower social justice (43 %), efficient economic processes (64 %), poor economic justice (17 %), and strong environmental health (72 %), but insufficient grazing management (29 %). Social sustainability ranked highest (62 %), while environmental sustainability was ranked lowest (42 %). The economic elements had the highest influence on overall sustainability (R = 0.748), followed by the social and environmental aspects. Notably, there was no significant relationship between economic and environmental variables. The study emphasizes the importance of interventions that address economic and environmental constraints, improve farmer knowledge, and shift to semi-traditional and semi-industrial livestock systems for long-term rangeland management. These findings help to understand how sustainable (environmentally friendly and long-lasting) traditional methods of breeding camels are. Also, these findings could lead to suggestions for changes in breeding camels. The study also emphasizes balancing economic, social, and environmental factors for sustainable rangeland management in similar situations.