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Academicians Retooled on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA)

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By Jane Anyango

Over 30 members of the academia comprising staff and graduate students from Makerere University School of Economics, Muni University and Makerere University Business School  on 28th September, 2021 converged for a training on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).

The blended seminar held physically and virtually was organized by the Environment for Development Initiative (EfD-Mak) Centre facilitated by the Makerere University don, who is also Research Fellow at the EfD-Mak center and Fulbright Scholar Dr. Nickolas Kilimani.

Dr. Kilimani streamed live from the USA on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting focusing on the Integrated Water Resources Management, Policy Analysis and Decision making.

Dr. Kilimani highlighted the recent developments in Environmental-Economic Accounting in Uganda, the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting  and its objectives, Water resources accounting modules and the role of Water Accounting in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).

Dr. Kilimani observed that the national economic policy has been underpinned by macroeconomic theory and the necessary statistics are collected and arranged using the System of National Accounts (SNA) which covers all economic activity from production to consumption and accumulation, and all industries using the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the key indicator.

He noted that the basic theoretical foundation of the SNA has not changed since 1953 even with the detail that has evolved with technological, economic and social change adding that, for more than 70 years, governments and business have used the information from the SNA as an information source in economic analysis and policy.

Dr. Nicholas Kilimani delivers his training on SEEA online
Dr. Nicholas Kilimani delivers his training on SEEA online

“The SNA does not adequately account for the environment and yet economic activity can adversely drive both observed and unobserved changes in it. The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) aims to address the deficiency of the traditional national accounting (the SNA) by accounting for the environment and linking it to environmental information through common concepts, definitions and classifications” Dr. Kilimani stated.

Compared to the SNA, Kilimani said, the SEEA is not yet widely used in decision making, partly because, it has recently been adopted as an international standard.

Dr. Kilimani said the objectives of SEEA are to develop a consistent data system for economic and environmental data and provide a common system to derive indicators and measure sustainable development. 

He explained that the SEEA provides a better measure of national wealth to include not only produced capital but also natural capital,  and assesses availability of natural resources, their use in production and final consumption and the cost of depletion. In addition  Kilimani said, SEEA assess the level and cost of emissions and other waste from production and consumption and identifies monetary flows related to the environment which are already within the SNA (e.g., expenditures on environmental protection, environmental taxes and subsidies,etc.)

Dr. Kilimani underscored the role of Water Accounting in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) noting that the growing pressure on water resources and high uncertainty on future water availability have caused the urgent need for better planning and management.

He emphasized that water is not only essential to cover basic needs for humans and the environment that underpins them, it is also a key factor for the economic development of diverse sectors with conflicting interests as regard to its use.

A dual view of Physical participants in the Makerere University EfD Conference Room (L) interacting with Dr. Nicholas Kilimani (R) live from the US.
A dual view of Physical participants in the Makerere University EfD Conference Room (L) interacting with Dr. Nicholas Kilimani (R) live from the US.

“The IWRM paradigm is considered a good approach to deal with those complexities. It proposes a coordinated utilization of water and land resources to support economic and social development without compromising environmental sustainability.

It recognizes that water management is a key aspect since human intervention is the trigger for all trade-offs and conflicts around water. IWRM highlights the influence of catchment management on water resources quantity and quality, as well as the need to preserve the natural capital for future generations.” He added.

Dr. Kilimani said Water management is considered a social, economic, and political issue rather than just technical and therefore, stakeholder involvement in water management is needed and this translates into legal requirements for public participation and transparency in water governance.

“The value of water, the opportunity costs of its allocation, or the costs of making it available should be known and recognized in order to incentivize water use efficiency. The implementation of those legal requirements calls for making information about water publicly available in a clear and accessible way. In this sense, water accounting emerges as a useful tool to promote efficiency and transparency in water resource planning and management”, Kilimani stated.

The current and proposed framework for IWRM in Uganda

Dr. Kilimani said the existing institutional and policy framework shows the multiple institutions charged with the management of water resources in Uganda, but, there is a need for an explicit connection between water sector policies and those of the social-economic sectors, since water resources are a key input into the country’s economic and social sectors.

Participants pose for a group photo with EfD-Mak Centre Director Prof. Edward Bbaale after the seminar.
Participants pose for a group photo with EfD-Mak Centre Director Prof. Edward Bbaale after the seminar.

“The institutional framework in Uganda, provides for a key component such as Water for Production. Institutions in charge of managing the productive sectors of the economy, i.e., MoFPED, (MAAIF), and the MTTI need to link their development plans and policies with those of the water sector.  A sound national water policy should relate the different development plans of the social-economic sectors in an explicit manner”. Kilimani said.

In the (2015) paper, Dr. Kilimani and other researchers proposed a framework for policy analysis which relates the development plans for the different social-economic sectors to those of the water sector.

This framework he said is aimed at providing policy analysis of IWRM in a typical economy by linking e.g., agriculture, industry, households, hydro-electricity and navigation which are key sectors that primarily depend on water.

The don explained that development plans in these sectors involve several policy variables and inputs. Therefore, the interaction between the policy variables and their impacts are monitored through multiple indicators in the social-economic and ecological domains.

“Given the multiplicity of variables, the SEEA framework uses aggregated water data as do the existing approaches for analyzing the associated policy impacts.

Some of the female graduate students that attended the training listen to proceedings.
Some of the female graduate students that attended the training listen to proceedings.

Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models also use aggregation and hierarchical decomposition in order to simplify model development and data compression to manageable sizes.

While the aggregation hides some of the temporal and spatial variability, it still preserves the fundamental trends that help to provide needed answers by policy-makers”, Kilimani said.

SEEA, a new area of interest to academicians and the Government of Government

The Director EfD-Mak Center Prof. Edward Bbaale described  the seminar  as the most exciting because it brought on board a new area which is of interest to the Government of Uganda.

Prof. Bbaale said, Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the National Planning Authority and other partners are trying to work on the system of Environmental-Economic Accounting away from the conventional system of National Accounting.

“Our System of National Accounting is deficient in incorporating Environmental aspects because as we produce and consume, then in one way or another, we are depleting the environment which we refer to as natural capital and this natural capital is all the time depreciating but there is no way in our conventional GDP measurements that, but now, this new system is solution to this”, Prof. Bbaale stated.

From the academic perspective, Prof. Bbaale commended the facilitator for showing participants   how to undertake the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting and ably bringing participants on board in terms of the key variables that are important in this new system specific to the water sector.

A section of staff and graduate students that attended the seminar
A section of staff and graduate students that attended the seminar

The  Director appreciated Dr. Kilimani for exposing  participants to the policy,  non-policy and  the output variables and giving tips on some methods such as the Computable general equilibrium (CGE) which can be utilized to understand the impact of a policy decision on the rest of the economy in terms of the social, economic and environmental outcome.

“The lesson here is that we need to invest our time into understanding this new System of Environmental-Economic Accounting as a way of incorporating new ventures in our research as economists and academicians. And to our graduate students, this is an area worthy of investing their time and I am glad that a number of graduate students attended this seminar”, Prof. Edward Bbaale said.

Prof. Bbaale said, a number of reports are already out and that SEEA is an area which is very virgin, where very limited research has been undertaken partly because of lack of numbers that incorporate the environment into the entire national analysis.

“But now, some strides have been taken, some milestones are being achieved and if our own, Dr. Nickolas Kilimani with a Fulbright Scholar in the US is having all these on his fingertips, it is a huge resource to Makerere University, to our country and it is a starting point of deeper analysis into how the environment is being affected when we are doing our production and consumption   activities”, Prof. Bbaale said.

He reported that the seminar was quite intriguing and important for national policy and pledged to arrange to involve policy makers from the Ministry of Water and Environment and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation in the next seminar.

Participants comment on the seminar

Makerere University PhD student from the School of Economics Alex Aliga, who is also a lecturer at Muni University Uganda said the seminar was timely.

“It has enriched many of the things that I had learnt in class and I had taken for granted. The System of Environment and Economic Analysis though new is very important and interesting because once you begin to understand Natural Resource Accounting and integrate it into GDP, then we get to understand the full value of our resources. In that case, it means that we may actually be richer than what we thought we are. Some of these things are not easy to bring to the GDP which is the measure of our national economy.

Some of the graduate students and staff from Muni University that attended the seminar.
Some of the graduate students and staff from Muni University that attended the seminar.

I got many lessons; – understanding how you can apply the theoretical things into practical and to influence policy is very important for our country. Given the fact that our resources are under attack, climatic change and environmental issues are real, we need this knowledge so as to be able to sustainably use our resources for a better future”, Mr. Aliga said.

Dr. Paul Edabu, a Senior Lecturer at Muni University said:

“The day’s seminar was an eye opener to the current situation in Uganda bearing in mind that we have two blocks of people who are in accounts and economics and there is no integration even in our ministries.

Our country is at a paradox, today people are restricted to cut trees from the forests and also carrying out farming in the wetlands and the next day, a factory is erected in the wetland. This seminar is timely and something I had yearned to learn because it incorporates the environment as a key resource into the national accounting system”,  Dr. Edabu commented.

SEEA and the Government of Uganda

Government of Uganda (GoU) is moving towards resource-led industrialization by developing a set of natural capital accounts under the Uganda Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) program. The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), National Development Plan, and Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy (UGGDS) recognize the challenges of development planning without accounting for its effect on natural resources, many of which are non-renewable.

In cognizance of the above, GoU with her development partner UNEP with its World Conservation Monitoring Centre arm is working with the Darwin Initiative to develop  Natural Capital Accounts for Uganda.

The project is aligned with existing initiatives on natural capital accounting, i.e., the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainable Development in Africa, the UN project on Natural Capital Accounting, and the World Bank Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services programme.

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Ministry of Water and Environment, and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development commenced with the development of land accounts and Water accounts in 2019.  Under the NCA program, the country launched the Wood Asset and Forest Resources Accounts.

Natural Capital Accounting effort is based on the international statistical standard, System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).

Jane Anyango is the Principal Communication Officer, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)

Mark Wamai

Business & Management

ERASMUS+ KA171 International Credit Mobility 2024-2027

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An aerial photo of the School of Statistics and Planning (Right) and other colleges CEDAT, CoNAS, CAES, Makerere University, Kampala Uganda

Arising from an existing Memorandum of Understanding (September 2021) between University of Padova, Italy (UniPd) and Makerere University (Mak), the two institutions partnered and were jointly granted funding for the Erasmus+ KA171 international credit mobility for students and staff, 2024-2027. At Mak, the Departmental Flow Coordinator is Felix Wamono (PhD) and the project Principal Investigator is Saint Kizito Omala (PhD), both of Department of Statistical Methods and Actuarial Science (DSMAS).

In this regard, the Department of Statistical Methods and Actuarial Science wishes to announce opportunities for students and staff credit mobility to the Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy for the Winter Semester, October 2025 – February 2026.

The selection process shall entail five-steps:

Step 1: Submission of documents by candidates for nomination, with an internal deadline of April 21st, 2025, 05.00 p.m. (EAT) to allow for time to process nomination applications;
Step 2: Nomination of candidates who would have applied for nomination;
Step 3: Submitting the list of nominated candidates, by April 28th, 2025, to the International Projects and Mobility Office of the University of Padua, Italy;
Step 4: Eligibility check and communication to successful candidates by the International Projects and Mobility Office of the University of Padua, Italy; and
Step 5: Application for the Mobility opportunity by successful candidates.

Inquiry

Reach out to Dr. F. Wamono on +256 772 467206 Dr. S.K. Omala via +256 772 491545 before April 21st, 2025.

See below for detailed advert.

Mak Editor

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Government Officials Equipped with Critical Skills in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis

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Participants, facilitators and officials from MoFPED pose for a group photo after the training on 11th April 2025. Close of two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis for government officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) delivered under the Programme on Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis (PIAR) and spearheaded by the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University, 11th April 2025, Pearl on the Nile Hotel, Jinja Uganda, East Africa.

A two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis for government officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) concluded today April 11, 2025 at the Pearl on the Nile Hotel in Jinja. The training, delivered under the Programme on Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis (PIAR) and spearheaded by the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University, sought to bridge long-standing capacity gaps in the preparation, appraisal, and review of public sector projects.

The event was officially closed by Dr. Hennery Ssebukeera, representing the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Dr. Ssebukeera highlighted that the training was designed in response to a comprehensive needs assessment, which revealed persistent gaps in government officers’ abilities to carry out cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses, and to prepare or assess pre-feasibility and feasibility studies.

One of the participants receives a certificate from Dr. Hennery Ssebukeera who represented the PSST, as Ms. Esther Ayebare, Assistant Commissioner PAP and Prof. Eria Hisali Look on. Close of two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis for government officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) delivered under the Programme on Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis (PIAR) and spearheaded by the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University, 11th April 2025, Pearl on the Nile Hotel, Jinja Uganda, East Africa.
One of the participants receives a certificate from Dr. Hennery Ssebukeera who represented the PSST, as Ms. Esther Ayebare, Assistant Commissioner PAP and Prof. Eria Hisali Look on.

“Many government projects have not been properly appraised due to limited internal capacity,” Dr. Ssebukeera stated. “Too often, we rely on external consultants to prepare feasibility studies, yet our officers are not adequately equipped to interrogate or validate those studies.” He expressed confidence that participants now possess practical skills to analyze topics such as risk analysis, financial modelling, discount rates, project finance, and consumer surplus. “You are now in a position to not only prepare but also critically evaluate complex project documentation,” he added.

Ms. Esther Ayebare, Acting Assistant Commissioner in the Public Investment Management Department at MoFPED, acknowledged the participants’ dedication and active engagement. “As the unit that hosts the Development Committee, we are pleased that this training has added critical skills to help you prepare and submit viable public projects,” she said, calling on the participants to be part of building a sustainable pipeline of investment-ready projects.

Participants attending the training. Close of two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis for government officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) delivered under the Programme on Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis (PIAR) and spearheaded by the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University, 11th April 2025, Pearl on the Nile Hotel, Jinja Uganda, East Africa.
Participants attending the training.

In his remarks, Dr. John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, emphasized that this training is only the beginning. “While we’ve now completed the financial appraisal component, the next step is Economic Appraisal and Stakeholder Analysis—where we evaluate a project’s broader impact on society and the economy,” he said. He also extended appreciation to the Government of Uganda, particularly MoFPED, for funding the training, as well as to Ms. Esther Ayebare and other facilitators for their unwavering commitment.

Prof. Eria Hisali, who represented the Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences, praised the participants for navigating what would typically be a semester-long course within just two weeks. “This is a practical, work-oriented training. The knowledge you’ve gained here should be applicable immediately,” he said. He further invited the graduates to attend the upcoming Public Investment Management Conference in August 2025 to share their experiences and provide feedback.

Participants attending the training. Close of two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis for government officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) delivered under the Programme on Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis (PIAR) and spearheaded by the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University, 11th April 2025, Pearl on the Nile Hotel, Jinja Uganda, East Africa.
Participants attending the training.

Participants also expressed their gratitude. One quoted the Quran, saying, “Whoever gives you knowledge has given you everything,” in appreciation of the facilitators and the opportunity to learn.

The PIAR program, jointly implemented by Makerere University, MoFPED, the National Planning Authority (NPA), and Cambridge Resources International (CRI), includes two modules: the just-completed Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis, and the upcoming Economic Appraisal and Stakeholder Analysis. As Uganda continues to push for better value from public investments, trainings like this are building a critical mass of experts who will ensure that every shilling invested delivers real impact.

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

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Makerere and MoFPED Resume Training of Government Officials in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis

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Professor Edward Bbaale officiates at the opening ceremony of the training in Jinja. Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) has resumed its in-depth training program for government officials in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis. The two-week training, held in Jinja, Uganda with Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), East Africa.

The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University has resumed its in-depth training program for government officials in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis. The two-week training, held in Jinja, brings together public officers from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) across Uganda.

The training was officially opened by Ms. Esther Ayebare, who represented the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). She emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening public sector capacity under the Public Investment Management System (PIMS) framework.

Ms. Ayebare underscored the importance of the training in building the technical capacity required for sound investment decision-making. “This training will empower you to make informed decisions, assess financial viability, and identify risks that could impact investment outcomes,” she noted.

Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) has resumed its in-depth training program for government officials in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis. The two-week training, held in Jinja, Uganda with Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), East Africa.

Professor Edward Bbaale, Principal Investigator of the PIM CoE, he expressed appreciation to MoFPED for its financial support and strategic collaboration in organizing the training and nominating participants. “Your continued support is instrumental in enhancing the skills and capacity of government workers in Public Investment Management,” he said. He further acknowledged the role of Vice Chancellors, Permanent Secretaries, and CAOs in nominating participants and reaffirmed Makerere’s commitment to delivering transformative learning through a blend of theory and hands-on project appraisal.

Participants in the training will engage with real-world projects in sectors such as roads, health, energy, and education. Upon successful completion, they will receive a prestigious tripartite certificate from Makerere University, MoFPED, and Queen’s University in Canada.
The training features facilitators from Cambridge Resources International, the International Growth Centre, the National Planning Authority, and MoFPED, offering a curriculum rooted in global best practices.

Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) has resumed its in-depth training program for government officials in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis. The two-week training, held in Jinja, Uganda with Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), East Africa.

Participants were encouraged to not only apply the knowledge in their respective roles but also to mentor colleagues, thereby broadening the reach and impact of the program.

The PIM CoE continues to play a pivotal role in shaping Uganda’s public investment landscape through research, advisory services, and outreach. Recent milestones include the revision of the Development Committee guidelines and the convening of a national PIM conference in October 2024.

With the resumption of this training, Uganda takes yet another step toward fostering a skilled public sector capable of steering high-impact investments for sustainable national development.

Betty Kyakuwa
Betty Kyakuwa

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