Sudan is famous for livestock production all over the world. Nevertheless, livestock production was faced by a lot of obstacles. This paper focuses on identifying these barriers. Holistic overview of the past, present and future challenges of sustainable livestock production was used to identify these constraints. They can be summed up into natural and man -made factors which are interacting together to hinder sustainable management of both animals as well as range resources of the country. Natural factors can be summarized as follows: most of range resources of the range resources of Sudan in semi-arid and sensitive fragile areas, alternating dry and wet periods, desertification, climate changes, pests and diseases, soil types and geomorphological factors. While man made factors can be grouped into: local culture, conflicts between herders and cultivators, seasonal bush fires, dissolution of native administration, nomadic tribes coming from neighbouring countries, poor range management, grazing systems adopted, etc.From the other hand, the above mentioned constraints have resulted in negative socioeconomic impacts such as loss of herds, migration of herders to the outskirts of the neighbouring urban centres , socio-cultural changes, family disintegration and lack of essential livelihood services, etc. Sustainable livestock production can be attained through changes in the prevailing local cultures that the number of animals is the source of political power and social prestige, adoption of sustainable practices that help in reducing overgrazing and range deterioration, rehabilitation of fire lines and strengthening the role of local institutions for adopting indigenous cultural practices, etc.

Artisanal gold mining activities has increased tremendously over the Sudanese arid and semi-arid environment of the country and has resulted in significant environmental and socioeconomic impacts. This paper aims at identifying the impact of artisanal gold mining on the deserts environment of the Sudan and it is trying to draw a road map for attaining a smart traditional or artisanal gold mining. This paper is a review article and therefore it is dependent to a great extent on a critical review of the available and reliable literature, as well as, the personal experience of the author. These impacts can be summarized as follows: defacing of landscape and consequent change in the natural hydrology of the mining areas, pollution of desert's environment that occurs as result of gold extraction through using toxic and hazardous substances such as mercury, arsenic and cyanide, acid drainage which threatens the neighbouring rivers and ground waters. Therefore, pollution of ground and surface waters in nearby water body e.g. River Nile during the rainy season where rainwater will wash these pollutants polluting the previously mentioned sources. Moreover, Artisanal gold mining has resulted in polluting the soils of the neighbouring agricultural lands and range lands as well. Risks of accidents (land subsidence) and occupational hazards are significant and therefore cannot be ignored. With regard to socioeconomic impacts, they can be summarized as follows: improvement in the standard of living of the miners, agricultural and livestock production were negatively affected due to the abandonment of agricultural fields and range lands due to the fact that the majority of young people have joined the miners, spread of crime and drugs and alcohols and labour which in fact are children (below permissible working age). Artisanal gold mining should be organized by the Ministry of mining, raising the environmental awareness of the miners periodical training programmes for them on how to deal with use of chemical substance and how to handle and get rid of wastes to avoid all the negatively mentioned impacts.

This paper is an attempt to highlight the factors that threaten the smartness of solid waste management in Sudan with an emphasis urban area in the country as well as it is trail to draw a road map to attain what is called Smart solid waste management. This paper is a review article and it depends on the personal experience of the author. Non-smart solid waste management can be attributed to the following factors: vast horizontal expansion of settlements both formal and informal types accompanied by increase in the population of urban centers (in general and Khartoum state in particular) due to pushing and pulling factors. Pulling factors are deterioration in essential infrastructure and communities' services in rural areas such as health and education facilities, poor or absence of rural development. Other pushing factors are tribal conflicts and violence due to natural factors such as drought and desertification and struggle over the scarce natural resources which enhanced rural-urban migration. This horizontal expansion of the settlements and continuous increase in population have resulted in increase of the generated solid wastes, inefficient means of solid waste management, insufficient number of vehicles, poor salaries of the labor working in collection and transportation and segregation of solid wastes.This were reflected in the accumulation and scattering of solid wastes which ultimately led to non-smartness of management of such wastes. The following recommendations can be drawn: Rehabilitation of large irrigated schemes in Sudan such as Gezira and Rahad schemes which will improve the balance of payment, ensuring food security and living conditions in rural areas, To treat the actual or root causes of rapid expansion in Khartoum State by strengthening essential infrastructure in rural areas as education and health services, Construction of high buildings rather than flat will reduce the travelling distances and running costs of vehicles working in collection, Attraction of the private sector to invest in recycling and reuse the wastes, Raising the environmental awareness through media and educational institutes