The Face of Truth: Delayed Development… The First Answers

Ibrahim Shaglawi

Delayed Development… The First Answers

Amid the Sudanese landscape burdened by the repercussions of war, where attention is focused on political and security issues, significant economic transformations are beginning to emerge, carrying the features of a state taking shape. Among these indicators is the Livestock Production City project in the Nile River State, announced by the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries as an attempt to answer a question that has remained postponed for decades: How can Sudan move from merely possessing resources to creating development?

On Sunday, the Ministry announced the commencement of the implementation of the country’s first integrated Livestock Production City in Al-Ubayyidiyah, Berber Locality, covering an area of 23,000 feddans. It is intended to serve as the nucleus of a network of production cities targeting various states. A closer reading of this development reveals political and developmental implications related to redefining the role of the state—from a state preoccupied with managing crises to one striving to build a productive economy capable of creating stability and shaping the future.

One of Sudan’s historic challenges has been that its resources have consistently exceeded its ability to transform them into economic value. Despite the enormous size of the country’s livestock wealth, it remained for years confined to traditional exports, without building integrated production and manufacturing value chains capable of transforming it into an industrial sector that creates jobs and increases returns for both the state and society.

Therefore, the significance of this project lies in its attempt to shift from the concept of “owning wealth” to “managing wealth.” Perhaps this project represents one of the first practical answers to the question of delayed development.

A state is not built by reconstructing infrastructure alone, but by reviving its real economy. Sustainable peace is created by development as much as it is by consensus. Investment in livestock production and agriculture remains one of the most important gateways to recovery because it creates employment opportunities, stimulates production, and strengthens trust between citizens and the state.

Notably, the project is presented as an integrated production city that combines production, manufacturing, scientific research, and modern technologies. It encompasses the dairy, meat, fodder, leather, energy, and fertilizer sectors while employing artificial intelligence and digital agriculture. If this vision is translated into implementation, it could represent a shift from exporting raw materials to building a productive economy that generates added value.

The linkage between production cities and universities also represents an important aspect of this vision because it revives the question of the relationship between knowledge and development. Sudan suffers not only from a shortage of resources but also from a weakness in transforming knowledge into productive solutions. Therefore, making universities partners in these cities could redefine their role as institutions that serve society and the economy, rather than remaining merely academic institutions detached from the challenges of reality and the concerns of citizens.

Yet the true value of any development project is not measured by the size of the facilities constructed, but by its ability to improve people’s lives. Here, the greatest challenge becomes how to engage the millions of small-scale producers who constitute the backbone of Sudan’s livestock sector. The success of the project should be measured by the number of rural families that move from traditional production to modern production, and by the number of livestock breeders who gain access to veterinary services, training, feed, and markets.

From the perspective of political economy, the production cities project also offers an opportunity to reshape Sudan’s economic geography. The war exposed the risks of concentrating development in specific regions and underscored the need to build an economy distributed across the states, taking advantage of the comparative strengths of each region. A production city in the Nile River State, another in Darfur, and a third in Kordofan or the East could form a promising national network that reduces developmental disparities, links peace with development, and makes citizens across all regions partners in the nation’s development projects.

Food security has also become one of the pillars of national security amid global transformations in supply chains. With its agricultural, livestock, and water resources, Sudan is well positioned to become an influential player in Arab and African food security, provided that it moves from exporting raw materials to exporting manufactured products.

However, the real challenge does not lie in announcing the project, but in transforming it into reality. Sudan’s experience has repeatedly demonstrated that major initiatives falter when sustainable financing, sound governance, and effective management are absent.

Therefore, the success of this vision depends on consistent political will, strong partnerships, and institutions capable of ensuring continuity. Sudan needs not only ambitious ideas, but also a productive state that makes development the cornerstone of political and social stability.

Therefore, #The_Face_of_Truth believes that the Livestock Production City project is not merely a sectoral initiative, but rather a practical model for testing our country’s ability to transform resources into sustainable development. However, its success requires a national incubator that brings together the state, the private sector, and local communities, alongside effective development-oriented media that turns the project into a national cause by explaining its objectives, monitoring its progress, and strengthening public confidence in it. If the model succeeds in the Nile River State, it will become expandable to the rest of the states, marking the beginning of a national path linking development with state-building.

Wishing you continued good health and well-being.

Wednesday, 15 June 2026

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