About Mpanga Basin Community Development Initiative

Mpanga Basin Community Development Initiative Limited (MBCDI) was formed in Ishongororo Town Council, Ibanda District and registered with URSB in the year 2020 with the primary objective of collaborating with communities and Government (MDAs) including District Local Governments(DLGs) to transform rural and peri-urban households into active commercial households that collectively give rise to commercially vibrant business community with improved quality of their lives fully participating in government development programs and sustainably using the natural resources around them.

The founder’s interminable zeal to transform his community and nation is inspired by among other things, character that was shaped by interesting childhood experiences; his profession as a freedom fighter and teacher; his patriotic ideology to see peasant Ugandans improve their quality of life; his confidence and philosophy that ‘the door will be opened of only those that knock on it’! 

Since the forming of the MBCDI and subsequent sensitisation of its goals to various stakeholders, the organisation grew leaps and bounds in coverage and ideas, respectively.

MBCDI obtains its name from the eco-system that is defined by the River Mpanga basin and the Lake George – Edward system in Western Uganda. Therefore the initial operations focused on the 10 districts that include: Ibanda, Kamwenge, Kitagwenda,
Buhweju, Kyenjojo, Kabarole, Kasese, Rubirizi, Bunyangabu, and Kazo .


The organisation has continued to grow more than earlier anticipated in geographical coverage to the rest of Uganda, now with running projects in Nakaseke and Mukono and
focuses East African Community countries as well.

The main motivation for MBCDI is to bridge the existing gap that continue to obstruct household incomes of over 50% of Ugandans. This peasant population has insatiable needs while the Government of Uganda on the other hand has the will and facilitation to support farmers enhance their living conditions.

However, the past and present efforts and resources are reflecting the envisaged end-state and have not been effective enough to cause sustainable development and tangible transformation.




MBCDI’s inclusive, holistic and innovative agribusiness models that emphasise running an integrated commodity landscape development systems is essentially designed to augment government development initiatives while addressing the gaps therein in collaboration with the critical actors.

There is a discrepancy between the resources deployed by Government and the results evidenced in the peasant population. MBSDI’s innovation, expertise and pragmatism bridges this gap.

VISION

To excel in our principal activities of innovating, implementing and holistically growing the agribusiness sector in Uganda.

MISSION

With an experienced team of experts and developmental partners, we shall fill gaps of innovation, financing, entrepreneurship and sustainable development in the agriculture sector in order to transform the quality of life of a Ugandan farmer through best practices, financial inclusion and productive land use while maintaining a sustainable environment.

OUR VALUES

The organisation has established a set of values that facilitate effective implementation of all its plans.

The main values are: –
a) Effectiveness;
b) Dependability;
c) Efficiency;
d) inclusiveness 
e) Professionalism; 
f) Excellence.
g) Innovation

The Organisation prides in its capacity for efficient performance in the following aspects: –

 

i. Designing and implementing nontraditional innovative commodity landscape business models.
ii. Commodity landscape Digitalization
capabilities
iii. Stakeholders Engagement and management.
iv. Community Mobilization. v. Identify appropriate expertise.
vi. Efficient Resource Management.
vii. Organizational Development. viii. Sustainability Reporting.
viii. System Development.
x. Environmental Conservation.
xi. Legal Compliance.

MBCDI has demonstrated that it can innovate effective, practicable and sustainable approaches to transforming a commodity landscapes. A good example is the community aqua-parks and out-grower fish farming system and the Uganda tea sub-sector.

 

The organisation has successfully identified gaps, stakeholders, financiers, technical resources and practical solutions to prosper these value chains to global levels.

 

During implementation, MBCDI supervises and ensures that the private sector is 100% in the lead. Implementation plans focus on every activity of the value chain, i.e. the ‘A to Z’ including: –

a)
identifying needs,     

b)
post-harvest management,

c)
mobilizing land owners,      

d)
k) value addition,

e)
training,        

f)
packaging,

g)
the science of seeds, 

h)
brand establishment,

i)
soil management,     

j)
marketing,

k)
tilling technology,    

l)
conveyance of final products,

m)
financing,      

n)
systems implementation,

o)
agronomy,    

p)
environmental management, etc

 

q)
harvesting technologies,

MBCDI respects and recognises very highly the importance of key stakeholders in the process of community and commodity transformation.

Key stakeholders that the organisation has identified in the ‘agro-techno-preneurship’ processes include: –

  1. the landowners,
  2. manufacturers of inputs,
  3. the media,
  4. transporters,
  5. Government MDAs,
  6. Technical experts,
  7. entrepreneurs,
  8. non-governmental & Civil Society
  9. factory owners, organisations,
  10. banks/financiers,
  11. community members and leaders,
  12. ICT organisations/agencies,
  13. customers, etc.

For the example of the selected commodity value chains development, MBCDI specifically integrates stakeholders in the development, consistent with Government policy on local content input and MBCDI’s vision of increasing stakeholder value.

Additionally, building a holistic and an inclusive integrated commodity landscape development system is emphasised interlocking the backward and forward linkages of Utilisation of by-products, packaging materials, quality tea blending and sales will all be prioritised.