Regional Conference to Share Experiences on Land Information System Projects
17-18th January 2013 (Speke Resort, Munyonyo – Kampala, Uganda)
The consortium in charge of the implementation of the Design, Supply, Installation, Implementation of the Land Information System and Securing of Land Records (DeSILISoR) Project in Uganda is organizing a regional land conference in January 2013 to share experiences on land information system (LIS) projects. This regional land initiative will bring together key stakeholders engaged in the Ugandan project and representatives from development banks and prominent actors involved in land administration from across Africa and France.
What are the main components of Land Information System projects? What are the key factors of success?
Can this technology stand alone? What are the lessons to learn from the countries that have implemented LIS projects? What are the main issues to consider implementing a LIS?
These are some of the questions that will be addressed in the course of the regional conference that will be held in Kampala on January 17th and 18th on the theme “Modernization of land administration and management systems Implementation of land information systems (LIS): Sharing experiences, innovations and good practices.”
Organized by IGN France International, the leader of the consortium in charge of the implementation of the DeSILISoR project in six pilot regions across central Uganda, this awaited regional land event will bring together:
The main Ugandan stakeholders engaged in the project,
Representatives from several development banks,
Key players coming from France, Eastern and Western Africa.
Through the course of this 2-day event, representatives from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya will assess the current state of land administration processes in their countries and the progress achieved.
In Uganda, the LIS project will be fully implemented in six pilot districts by early 2013. The LIS will shorten delays in the registration of titles, cut down costs and reduce registration procedures for land titles and other documentation. The consortium in charge of the implementation of the land information system for the pilot area (17,000 km²) and the implementation of the national land information centre in Kampala faced a variety of organizational and technical challenges.
The conference will present an opportunity to share information on the challenges encountered in the implementation of each component of the project with a specific focus on the processes, technologies, capacity building, training, and public awareness highlighting best practices and the key factors to ensure success.
In Tanzania, the land sector has not been regarded a high priority in resource allocation relative to other sectors such as agriculture, roads, or water. However, for the past decade, the Ministry of Lands has managed to develop a LIS that included the development of systems aimed at catering for the registration of land on planned, unplanned and customary ownership. These systems have operated in isolated environments not directly connected to digital spatial data.
For this reason, the Government of Tanzania has embarked on the development and implementation of a nationwide LIS to modernize land management in Tanzania.
Representatives from Kenya will share their experiences on initiating a land administration programme to promote the equitable and efficient use of land throughout the country. Kenya is now appealing for the establishment of an all-inclusive-GIS-based National Land Information Management System.
The various presentations will provide feedback from the ground to the countries that still lack adequate information on land issues and effective land administration systems. Existing initiatives clearly show that land information system projects are complex and require the focused engagement of all stakeholders to optimize success. To illustrate this point, representatives from various banks of development committed to fund land projects in Africa, will also make contributions highlighting the importance of juridical and regulatory components of land administration. The formalization of land tenure policies is complex, but essential.
Securing land rights is vital to the reduction of poverty and enhancing economic development in emerging economies. This two day-seminar will provide an opportunity to share experiences, improve the quality of knowledge and enable governments to better manage these crucial cross-cutting issues.
