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Blog post
Remote sensing for property valuation and taxation in Pakistan
Effective property tax administration and revenue collection require detailed and accurate property information. However, collecting this information through large surveys is both time consuming and costly. Remote sensing can simplify this process by mapping and identifying taxable properties in real time. The provincial capacity to generate fiscal revenue has been low in...
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Blog post
Do Rwanda’s cities increase worker productivity and welfare?
Developing economies are quickly urbanising and must weigh the amenities and disamenities of city life as they grow because the urbanisation process is important for productivity and wage growth. Rwanda is urbanising rapidly and recognises the importance of urbanisation to overall economic growth. Starting from the current urbanisation rate of 18.5%, Rwanda’s Vision 2050...
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Blog post
Impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Ethiopia
The conflict in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions against Russia triggered price increases of key commodities with far reaching impacts on welfare, production, and economic growth for developing countries, including Ethiopia. Economic sanctions were imposed on Russia by the US and EU to deter Russia from further escalating the war with Ukraine. The ongoing conflict has...
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Blog post
The role of inter-governmental transfers in financing Africa’s cities
Financial transfers from central governments to subnational governments in African cities can be successful in aiding urbanisation and development. However, these inter-governmental transfers need to be sufficiently sized, transparent, predictable, and based on feasible conditions to be effective. Inter-governmental transfers (IGT) are the transfer of finance between...
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Blog post
In-kind transfers as insurance: Evidence from India
While academics and policymakers prefer unconditional cash transfer to the poor, they value in-kind transfers that protect against price fluctuations A fundamental question in the public economics literature, as well as in the practical design of social protection programmes, is whether transfers from the government to the poor should take the form of cash or kind...
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Blog post
Has Uganda recovered from the COVID-19 lockdowns?
The economic effects of the pandemic were rapid and difficult for policymakers to respond to. Moreover, conventional economic indicators require longer time periods for efficacy. In our study, we utilised electricity consumption as an indicator for economic activity during and after the pandemic in Uganda, and find a decline in electricity consumption during...
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Blog post
Digital tax stamps and firm behaviour in Uganda
Digital tax stamps enable governments to strengthen tax administration and compliance by simplifying the verification, tracking, and monitoring of excisable goods. Firms’ behavioural responses to these stamps determines ex-factory prices, sales revenues, and government excise revenues. In an effort to minimise underreporting and misclassification by firms manufacturing...
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Blog post
How COVID-19 affected women and children: Evidence from Bangladesh
The COVID-19 pandemic swept through the world, disrupting people and economies. Bangladesh was especially susceptible to the negative economic impacts of the pandemic because of its strong ties to the global economy. These negative demand shocks persisted throughout and after the pandemic. To explore the effects of the pandemic on women and children in vulnerable...
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Blog post
How food prices changed during COVID-19: Evidence from Kenya and Uganda
COVID-19 induced a combination of supply and demand shocks, impacting price dynamics. We used real-time price data to track price dynamics between the lockdown and reopening phases in Kenya and Uganda. Results suggest that prices for essential food items were higher during the initial phase of lockdown, but changes in mobility patterns affected prices beyond the shutdown...
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Blog post
How to reduce waste in the textile industry?
Textiles are an integral part of daily lives and the global economy, but their production and consumption often leave a global footprint of waste and pollution behind. A circular economy for textile can eliminate waste in the industry, which is a core sector of economies in the developing countries. Textile has played a key role in world trade and global development all...
Blog post
Impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Ethiopia
The conflict in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions against Russia triggered price increases of key commodities with far reaching impacts on welfare, production, and economic growth for developing countries, including Ethiopia. Economic sanctions were imposed on Russia by the US and EU to deter Russia from further escalating the war with Ukraine. The ongoing conflict has...