It is my great pleasure to welcome both our new and continuing students to the Institute of Rural Development Planning lake zone center for the academic year 2022/2023. I congratulate you for choosing to study at IRDP-LZC which is the only higher learning institution with the mandate to oversee and coordinate the provision of expertise to in-service and pre-service personnel involved in Development Planning in the country. Implementation of development policies, strategies and plans at different levels requires knowledge, skills and competences, and I want to assure that you have made the right choice and at an appropriate time to study at this Institute as you begin your professional journey towards becoming qualified development planners.

In executing its major functions which are provision of training, research and consultancy services, the Institute has continued to offer top quality competence based and demand driven long and short term training programmes, research and public services to different stakeholders. Over the years, IRDP-LZC has also continued developing its staff capacity and competences in different aspects of development planning and management to meet the current and emerging demands in the field.

It is our sincere hope that our current and prospective students and other partners will continue using IRDP-LZC services as we strive to contribute towards alleviating qualitative and quantitative shortages of skilled manpower within the framework of sustainable capacity building directed towards reducing poverty and attaining sustainable development.