Some of the question we had in from of each partners were:

• Why did partners decide to get involved in this project?
• What were their expectations in 2018?
• Did they know each other before or this project has added value for connecting partners that are working on the same issues even they are coming from different organisation (research, SME, farmers, consultants, industry, ministries…) ?

Marta Garron (IRTA, Spain), Project Coordinator, Leader of WP1 Project and Consortium Management and WP3. Adapt dairy technologies and processes to camel milk properties at pilot plant level

I’ve got an idea when I was with my daughter at Fuertaventura island and saw camels who gave camel milk. When I got back to my institute, I talked to my colleagues about making a project proposal about camel milk. At that time I didn’t know any of partners of Camel-Milk consortium, but when we started to search information about camel-milk, the first person I met was Bernard Faye because he’s the first person you find on search engines as an expert for camel-milk. Bernard invited us to his home in Montpellier and explained us everything about camel-milk and told us who to contact in order to establish a Consortium.

Bernard Faye (Faye, France), International Camel Expert, Leader of WP2 Improvement of camel milk production Systems

I was contacted by Marta Garron from IRTA, Spain who is a coordinator of camelmilk project. She wanted to make a project about camel-milk and she found my name on internet because I’m camel expert for many years.

We discussed about this project at my home in France and when I heard Marta’s expectations about this project, I accepted to be a partner in this consortium. At that time I was freshly retired from research institute in France and just started my own business as an independent camel expert, especially in the Mediterranean basin.

Atakan Koc (ADU, Turkey)

I’m working as a professor at the Adnan Menderes University in Turkey and my study area are large farm animal production, and I’m also interested in camel production and that’s why I am involved in this project. My expectation of this project is to increase knowledge about production, processing and quality of camel-milk because at beginning we already knew this is quite different than processing and production of cow or sheep milk.

I knew two partners before this project – Bernard Faye and Aytekin Kaya and others I met at the beginning of this project.

Amira Narimane Aouachria, University of El Oued (ELOUED), Algeria  

The fact to participate to this project was first a boon for me, to participate with experts and international researchers to develop camel milk in the world and notably in Algeria. I would like that all persons know camel milk and notably the Algerian population. Camel milk is an important primary matter in Algeria.

I don’t know all the experts in the project, but I know some as you. You gave the courage and the envy to work with you. I already worked with you before the project. I learned a lot and didn’t want to loss such opportunity. I want to continue with you.

Monika Kordić, (Genius Consulting d.o.o., Croatia), Leader of WP7 BUSINESS MODELS AND MARKET IMPLEMENTATION and WP9. COMMUNICATION, DISSEMINATION and MARKETING

In 2018 when we were invited by IRTA to participate in this project we were surprised and honoured at the same time because as a Croatian company we were recognized as a company that could participate on the international project, responsible for business models development and support for the international market access for the sector that we don’t have in Croatia, at all. Project idea was a challenge for our team due to the sector we were invited to support. We decided to participate in this adventure with an open heart and now after 3 years of project implementation we are proud that we were strong and made such an important decision.

Fabrice Weecksteen (CAMELIDEE, France)

My responsibility in this project is to share my experience concerning camel-milk products – foods supplements and cosmetics. I also work in field of packaging and regulations to import camel-milk in Europe and I share this knowledge with other partners on this project.

For additional information you can see the video on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLl4j6YIA_8).