Al-Yurae-Khartoum — Sudan’s Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries, Ahmed Al-Tijani Al-Mansouri, announced the launch of a new five-year executive strategy aimed at modernizing and revitalizing the livestock and fisheries sectors—two of the country’s most vital economic pillars and principal sources of livelihood for millions of Sudanese citizens.
According to the minister, the new strategy seeks to achieve national self-sufficiency in meat, milk, and other animal products, while reducing domestic prices and expanding opportunities for regional and international investment in livestock production, fish farming, and export industries.
Al-Mansouri noted that Sudan possesses approximately 140 million head of livestock—including cattle, camels, sheep, and goats—placing it among the largest livestock-producing nations in Africa. This vast resource base, he stressed, represents a major comparative advantage that could position Sudan as a key supplier of food and animal products within the region.
He explained that the government’s strategic plan will prioritize programs to modernize rangeland management, expand veterinary services, improve breeding systems, and introduce digital tools for tracking exports and certifying product quality in line with international standards. The initiative also includes rehabilitating slaughterhouses, upgrading processing centers, and expanding fish farming projects in the Red Sea, Sennar, and Blue Nile states to increase output and create new employment opportunities.
The minister emphasized that the government is working closely with national and international partners to modernize transport and cold-chain infrastructure and to establish free zones dedicated to processing and exporting meat, leather, and animal by-products. These projects aim to enhance foreign currency inflows and strengthen macroeconomic stability. Currently, livestock exports account for over 20 percent of Sudan’s total exports, and revitalizing this sector is seen as a key step toward diversifying the economy and reducing dependence on gold and rain-fed agriculture.
Economists and agricultural experts welcomed the announcement, describing it as a positive step toward rebuilding one of the most promising sectors in Sudan’s economy. However, they noted that the success of the strategy depends on adequate financing, better investment conditions, and streamlined customs and inspection procedures at ports and border crossings. Others warned that ongoing internal conflict, fuel shortages, and rising feed costs could hinder the government’s ability to achieve its goals.
Development analysts argue that the new strategy offers a rare opportunity to rebuild Sudan’s struggling economy, which has been severely weakened by war, inflation, and resource shortages. With agricultural and industrial production in decline, the livestock sector now stands out as the country’s most resilient economic asset. Observers believe that attracting foreign investment and improving transport and export infrastructure could help reduce the trade deficit and contribute to stabilizing the Sudanese pound.
Analysts also stress that livestock development carries not only economic significance but also social importance, as millions of rural families depend on animal husbandry as a primary source of income and food security. If effectively implemented, the strategy could mark a turning point in Sudan’s recovery trajectory—helping restore growth and stability, provided that it is supported by sustained political and security stability.
