The Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP) is a Government of Uganda programme, financed in partnership with the African Development Bank, that rebuilds district and urban markets. It upgrades marketplace infrastructure so that produce can be traded in better conditions, vendor incomes rise, and local governments collect more revenue.
What has been built
19 markets have been constructed so far.
- MATIP-1 — 7 markets: Jinja, Mbale, Lira, Gulu, Hoima, Mpanga in Fort Portal, and Wandegeya in Kampala.
- MATIP-2 — 12 markets: Arua, Busia, Kitooro in Entebbe, Kabale, Kasese, Kitgum, Lugazi, Masaka, Mbarara, Lopeduru in Moroto, Soroti and Tororo, plus three high-level value-addition facilities in Arua City, Soroti City and Busia Municipality.
- MATIP-3 — targets the redevelopment of 18 further main markets in Masindi, Nebbi, Kotido, Iganga, Mpigi, Kisoro, Karuguza (Kibaale), Nyahuka (Bundibugyo), Rukungiri, Ibanda, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Koboko, Kumi, Bugiri, Kapchorwa, Mubende and Njeru/Buikwe.
What it has changed
- Vendor incomes up 52% — from UGX 231 billion in 2016 to UGX 351 billion in 2023, with average incomes rising from UGX 1.5 million to UGX 4.2 million. The strongest performers are Gulu, Jinja, Lira, Mbale, Mpanga, Lopeduru in Moroto, Kitooro in Entebbe, Soroti, Tororo, Mbarara and Arua.
- Local revenue — the markets generate between UGX 60 million and UGX 900 million each, some UGX 4.48 billion a year in total at 70% occupancy. At full occupancy and full rental compliance the potential is around UGX 17 billion a year.
- Working conditions — serviced, secure trading space, with particular benefit to the women and youth who make up much of the produce trade.
Opportunities for business
- Trading space — the markets support between 70,000 and 90,000 people directly and indirectly, of whom about 31,000 are vendors, assistants and service providers. Vendor resettlement is continuous: the markets are projected to reach full occupancy over 15 years from opening.
- New businesses — about 28,000 have been created in and around the markets, including retail shops, restaurants, mobile money, agent banking, clinics and drug shops, and salons.
- Value addition — the facilities at Arua, Busia and Soroti grade and standardise maize flour, cassava flour, groundnut paste, fish and beef, which has raised the prices vendors get.
- Cross-border trade — markets near border posts (Busia, Kabale, Masaka, Kasese, Arua) supply certified, tested produce into neighbouring markets, and commercial farmers are being mobilised to supply them.
- Business development services — municipal councils provide trade facilitation, post-harvest handling training and marketing support at the markets.
- Security — CCTV and public address systems across the facilities.
How to take part
Vendors apply for stall allocation through the respective local government or market management committee. The infrastructure also creates openings for logistics, cold-chain, financial services and produce aggregation businesses operating around the markets.
Source: Ministry of Local Government MATIP report, May 2024, as published by MoFPED.