Final answer:
By around 8000 BCE, the Nilo-Saharans in Eastern Sudan had begun to domesticate wild cattle and agriculture, leading to the emergence of nomadic pastoral societies that moved with their animals to different pastures seasonally.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of domestication and shift towards a nomadic lifestyle in Eastern Sudan can be traced back to around 8000 BCE. The Nilo-Saharan people began domesticating wild cattle and engaging in agriculture, cultivating grains such as sorghum and pearl millet. Over time, they also domesticated watermelons, cotton, and gourds. The ability to domesticate plants and animals greatly influenced social structures, leading to the development of pastoral societies and specialized trades. This transition played a key role in shaping the civilizations that eventually emerged on the African continent.
In the eastern Sahara, the domestication of cattle led to nomadic herding practices. Nomadic herders moved their livestock to different pastures depending on the season, with their society largely revolving around the needs of their animals. This way of life emerged alongside the adoption of agriculture but remained particularly suited to the vast grasslands and environmental conditions of Africa, where farming was not always feasible.