Ruminant Livestock Production in Sudan: Systems, Genetic Resources, and Pathways to Sustainability under Climate and Conflict Stress Ruminant Livestock Production in Sudan Section Articles

Abstract

Sudan has one of Africa's largest ruminant livestock populations, at around 105–110 million head of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels (circa 2020–2021), which underpin rural livelihoods, food security, and foreign-exchange earnings. This structured narrative review synthesizes current knowledge on Sudanese ruminant production across agro-ecological zones, integrating production systems, indigenous genetic resources, productivity and reproduction, disease burden, dairy and meat value chains, and the export economy, alongside the compounding effects of climate variability and the armed conflict that began in April 2023. Peer-reviewed literature and official statistics, mainly 2005–2026, were retrieved from international databases and analyzed thematically, with quantitative figures triangulated across independent sources and residual discrepancies reported as ranges. Ruminants contribute roughly one-third of agricultural gross domestic product, yet productivity remains low because of seasonal feed deficits, water scarcity, a heavy disease burden, weak veterinary and market infrastructure, largely undocumented crossbreeding, and unreliable population data. Indigenous Kenana and Butana cattle, Sudan Desert sheep, Desert and Nubian goats, and dromedary camels are valuable, climate-adapted genetic resources that remain under-exploited and increasingly at risk. The conflict sharply curtailed total livestock exports fell from about 4.77 million head worth US$830.6 million in 2024 to roughly 3.91 million head worth US$468.3 million in 2025 — and damaged slaughter capacity. We show how climate and conflict compound through shared mechanisms, and identify community-based breeding, improved feeding and animal-health systems, rangeland management, value-adding processing and traceability, climate adaptation framed around emission intensity, and reliable data and coherent policy as priorities for a resilient, sustainable ruminant sector.