Fueling economic growth with nutrition

By Damali Ssali

As Uganda ushers in the FY 2025/26 National Budget, the government has placed focus on four pillars of economic transformation: agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral-based development, and science, technology, and innovation (STI).

These sectors hold immense potential to catapult Uganda into middle-income status. But as we double down on these ambitions, a foundational question must be asked: Who will drive this growth, and are they healthy enough to do so?

The answer lies in the strength of our productive population, that is, the millions of Ugandans who are involved in the agriculture sector, the education sector, the manufacturing sector, the mining sector and the trade and services sector.

However, productivity is not just a matter of skill or opportunity; it starts with what is on the plate.

Unfortunately, studies indicate that 1 in 3 people are malnourished.

Additionally, according to a 2024 World Bank study, every $1 (one-dollar) invested in addressing undernutrition yields a $23 (twenty -three dollar) economic return to GDP.

Therefore, good nutrition is no longer a peripheral health issue; good nutrition is central to Uganda’s economic performance.

Uganda’s workforce is young—70% of our population are youth—yet many face silent battles with malnutrition.

According to national surveys, 32% of women of reproductive age suffer from iron-deficiency anaemia, diminishing their capacity to contribute to critical economic sectors.

Stunting remains at 26%, while wasting among children is 3.2%, suggesting that our future workforce may be compromised before they even reach working age.

The government’s efforts to boost agriculture, tourism, mineral development, and STI can only succeed if human capital is well-nourished and resilient. This is where nutrition must be embedded as a cross-cutting issue in every sectoral investment.

Greatly thanks to the government intervention of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE), Uganda’s school population is over 11 million, accounting for 25% of the total national population. Unfortunately, only 25% of learners consume all five recommended food groups.

GAIN’s 2024 Kampala School Feeding Study, that looked at both private schools and government schools found that school meals met only 38% of daily energy needs, almost 50% of girls failed to meet the Minimum Dietary Diversity Score and over processed sweet and salty snacks were consumed by over 70% of the students.

Uganda loses 30–40% of its food post-harvest, especially perishable, nutrient-rich foods like fish, milk, vegetables, and fruits. These losses not only represent wasted food but lost nutrition.

Investments in solar-powered cold rooms, fortified foods, and improved food handling infrastructure would ensure that the food we grow nourishes our people, not lost between farm and market.

Uganda’s food tourism needs safety and nutrition branding. Integrating food hygiene training for vendors, nutritional labelling, and culinary festivals could help us showcase safe, healthy, and diverse foods that tourists (and locals) can trust.

GAIN’s Workforce Nutrition Assessment (2024) found that while 94% of companies surveyed were interested in nutrition programs, many workplaces still serve low-quality, unbalanced meals, and 30% of foods consumed were classified as unhealthy.

To truly align national budget investments with human capital development, the following should be prioritized:

·Mainstream nutrition across all budget sectors, especially agriculture, education, health, labor and trade.

·Urgently scale up school feeding programs with fortified, diverse, and locally sourced and culturally diverse foods.

·Enforce food safety standards and regulate street food practices to protect public health.

·Invest in workplace nutrition as part of occupational health and productivity frameworks.

·Support women and youth in nutrition-sensitive enterprises, especially in food processing and agri-innovation.

·Use trade facilitation (e.g., better feeder roads, cold chain systems) to improve access to nutritious foods.

·Fund nutrition-tech innovation, including dietary apps, fortified food production, and public awareness campaigns.

We cannot industrialize on an empty stomach. We cannot innovate without cognitive fuel. We cannot mine or farm without physical strength. Uganda’s development journey must begin at the dining table.

Let us feed our people well so that they may, in turn, build the nation.

The writer is a Chartered Accountant, a trade facilitation expert and the Country Director for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in Uganda.