At a time when Sudan is once again turning its attention to agriculture, this study takes a fresh look at what makes livestock production – the backbone of Sudanese agriculture – operate successfully. This study was carried out in Khartoum, West Darfur, North Kordofan and Gedaref States, with three in-depth case studies on sheep, cattle and camel production systems in North Kordofan. The report identifies areas of intervention that could assist the development of a vibrant and sustainable livestock sector based on the principles of pastoral production.