The Trade and Industries Department (often referred to as Trade, Industry, and Local Economic Development - TILED, or Commercial Services Department) in a District Local Government in Uganda is pivotal in driving local economic growth, wealth creation, and improved livelihoods for the district's residents. Headed by the District Commercial Officer (DCO), this department is the local government's arm for facilitating the development and diversification of trade, promoting industrialization, fostering cooperative development, and unlocking the economic potential of the district.   

The department works to create a conducive business environment, support entrepreneurship, and link local producers to markets. It is instrumental in operationalizing national policies aimed at transforming households from subsistence to the money economy, such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and other wealth creation initiatives.   

Key functions of the Trade and Industries Department include:

• Trade Development and Promotion: Facilitating business licensing and registration, conducting business assessments, collecting and disseminating trade information, and promoting fair trade practices. This includes promoting both local and cross-border trade opportunities.   
• Enterprise Development Services: Providing technical guidance and support to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in areas such as business plan development, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial skills training. It aims to foster the growth of small-scale businesses into more established industries.   
• Cooperative Mobilization and Development: Mobilizing, sensitizing, and assisting communities in the formation, registration, and management of cooperative societies and Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs). This includes providing training, monitoring, and auditing support to ensure their sustainability and compliance with the Cooperative Societies Act.   
• Industrial Development Services: Promoting local industrialization, particularly agro-processing and value addition to agricultural produce. This involves advising on appropriate technology, linking local producers to quality control bodies (like UNBS), and supporting the establishment and growth of small and medium-scale industries.   
• Market Linkage Services: Identifying market opportunities for local products, conducting market surveys, disseminating market price information, and facilitating linkages between producers/farmers and buyers, including exporters. This aims to protect farmers from exploitation and ensure better returns for their produce.   
• Tourism Promotion: Identifying and promoting local tourism attractions, licensing tourism facilities, and developing tourism products to harness the district's tourism potential for economic benefit and job creation.   
• Local Economic Development (LED) Implementation: Spearheading and coordinating the implementation of the Local Economic Development policy at the district level, which involves identifying local economic opportunities, mobilizing resources, and creating an enabling environment for private sector investment.
• Investment Promotion: Attracting and supporting investors, both local and foreign, to establish businesses and industries within the district by providing information on investment opportunities and facilitating the licensing process.   
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitoring the performance of trade, industry, and cooperative activities, evaluating the impact of interventions, and preparing reports for district management and national bodies.   
• Policy Implementation: Ensuring the effective implementation of national trade, industry, and cooperative policies, laws, and programs at the district level.

The department often works closely with other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and various private sector players and development partners. Through its multifaceted approach, the Trade and Industries Department is central to wealth creation, job creation, and sustainable economic transformation within the district.