Gulu city mayor wants govt to set up agro-processing factories

_______________

Gulu City Mayor, Alfred Okwonga, has appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to establish agro-processing factories in the city.

He said such facilities will boost household incomes through value addition.

According to Okwonga, Gulu City is designated as an agro-processing hub, yet it lacks functional processing factories, something he said is not appropriate for a city with such a status.

The mayor made these remarks while officiating at the 5th edition of the Northern Uganda Agriculture Show, held on Friday, March 27, 2026, at Kaunda Grounds.

The event attracted over 100 exhibitors from across the country.

Okwonga urged the ministry to prioritise Gulu, drawing comparisons with Fort Portal, which has received support as a tourism city.

He also questioned whether there are plans to establish factories in Gulu City to process cereals, farm produce, oil, and other agricultural products, emphasising that the absence of such facilities undermines the city’s designation as an agro-processing centre.

Grace Musimami, Chairperson of the Organising Committee for the event, revealed that more than 30 of the exhibitors are participating for the first time.

Partners supporting the event included Gulu City Council, Bank of Uganda, Uganda Prisons Service, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), MTN MoMo, GIZ, among others.