^{Photo: Melody Braun/WorldFish/Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)}

Last week Agence Française de Développement hosted the Geo4Impact conference in Paris. The event brought together a group of GIS specialists, researchers, development workers, and other professionals who use maps and open data to find solutions in various areas of development, from agriculture to infrastructure, environmental conservation, and land rights.

The Land Portal was present to discuss the role of data transparency in land governance, and this inspired us to compile a list of resources that discuss the importance of open data to address land issues, as well as approaches like social cartography or participatory mapping, which greatly complement efforts to secure tenure rights by communities and for communities.

SOLIndex: Identifying available data on land in different countries

The SOLIndex database, created by the Land Portal Foundation, measures land data on land tenure, land use, land development, and land value available online on official government websites in different countries. Mapping this data makes it possible to identify information that is not accessible to the public, the context in which this lack of accessibility takes place (e.g. how countries embrace data transparency in their legislation), and the barriers that need to be overcome for data to be fully open and accessible.

Open land data for responsible governance

Data on land – such as land use, land markets and public acquisition of land – is essential to improve transparency, accountability, and decision-making both by public and private entities. While there is a growing wealth of research and initiatives that explore the benefits of open land data for sustainable development, improving access to data also raises many concerns about the risk of increasing inequality in situations where there are disputes over natural resources, for example.

• Transparency International and the Land Portal created a guide on ensuring transparency in land governance and making it count in the fight against grand corruption.
• In the blog Open land data for what? Reflections on sustainability and power, the authors recommend articles that discuss the role of open land data in equitable and sustainable development and social justice, the power struggles behind open land data, and the perspective of Indigenous communities in this debate.

Social mapping and community strengthening

Participatory social mapping has been used since the 70’s by communities to represent their territories, to visualize the various relationships that they entail, and to promote a sense of identity. This approach, later also adopted by many NGOs working at the local level, has been applied to identify local problems and solutions, while fostering social cohesion and community development.

• The Land in Peace project used the Fit-For-Purpose methodology for land administration in rural areas of Colombia affected by armed conflict. This methodology applied social mapping and engaged people from participating communities to measure their land, and help formalize the rights to their land in a more efficient way. The project is helping to deliver on Colombia's Integral Rural Reform, which aims at improving the socio-economic conditions of smallholder farmers through increased formal access to land, amongst other policies.
• In Cameroon, the use of role play and participatory mapping has been successfully tested with 360 people in eight villages to sensitize communities about the importance of guaranteeing women's access to land. In a country where customary law prevails, many men who took part in the exercise realized how difficult it was for particularly widowed and divorced women to benefit from their husband’s lands, especially if they were not legally married.
• In the same thread, the authors of the peer-reviewed article “Could Mapping Initiatives Catalyze the Interpretation of Customary Land Rights in Ways that Secure Women’s Land Rights?” analyzed cases in Sub-Saharan Africa and revealed that mapping initiatives generate various opportunities to secure women’s access to land in customary settings. They include catalyzing legislative changes and facilitating technology transfer, increasing awareness of women’s interests, providing opportunities for women to participate in decision-making forums, and providing a basis for securing statutory recognition for their land rights.

Last thoughts

The importance of open land data and participatory social mapping cannot be underestimated. These tools are essential for guaranteeing communities' land rights, promoting transparency, and fostering sustainable development. By giving communities access to accurate and accessible information, we are taking a step toward a more equitable and just future. 

Studies and data on mining and extractive industry activities around the world have revealed countless examples of irreversible damage and destruction to nature and the potential destruction of many peoples' cultures. Quantifying this damage through the creation and dissemination of data is an important tool for considering alternatives that promote a more balanced coexistence between humans and nature. It also supports peoples whose cosmovision has cultural values based on an ethic of respect for life in its most varied forms.