From May 5th to 7th, 2025, key partners of the Afrifood Links project in Uganda, including Food Rights Alliance (FRA), Global Consumer Centre (CONSENT), and Rikolto- collaborated closely with Mbale City’s political and technical leadership to facilitate a pivotal three-day workshop aimed at crafting the city’s 5-year Development Plan. This strategic document will guide Mbale’s development priorities and interventions from 2025 through 2030, marking a significant milestone in urban planning for the city and its two divisions.
The workshop was expertly facilitated by the Uganda National Planning Authority’s technical team. Throughout the sessions, participants engaged in an in-depth analysis of local development challenges, ensuring these concerns were aligned with the broader national priorities outlined in Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDP IV). The collaborative process enabled the setting of clear objectives, outcomes, outputs, and targeted interventions designed to address identified development gaps. Importantly, the group also allocated tentative but appropriate budgetary figures to support these initiatives.
Feedback from participants highlighted the workshop as a valuable capacity-building opportunity in development planning. City leaders appreciated the inclusive nature of the process, which brought together the city and its divisions to jointly plan for Mbale’s future. They also commended the Afrifood Links partners for investing in this strategic exercise, which had previously stalled due to insufficient financial resources.
A key outcome emphasized by the city leadership is the intended binding nature of the Development Plan once approved by the city council. All development and implementing partners operating within Mbale will be expected to align their programs with the provisions of this plan, ensuring coordinated and efficient urban development.
Following the main workshop, Afrifood Links partners held a focused meeting with the City Nutrition Coordination Committee (CNCC) leadership. This side session aimed to extract nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions from the overall Development Plan. The committee resolved to convene a retreat dedicated to refining these nutrition interventions, which will culminate in the creation of a 5-year nutrition implementation matrix and subsequently an annual action plan to guide nutrition-related activities.
This integrated approach to urban development and nutrition planning reflects Mbale City’s commitment to sustainable growth and improved well-being for its residents. The collaborative efforts between local leaders, technical experts, and development partners underscore the potential for transformative change when strategic planning is inclusive, well-resourced, and aligned with national development goals.
As Mbale City embarks on this new chapter, the successful formulation of the Development Plan and its nutrition components will serve as a foundation for coordinated investment and impactful interventions, fostering a resilient and thriving urban environment for all its citizens.
