Resource information
Land administration and cadastral systems are playing a crucial global role in safeguarding the security of access to land and natural resources. Information technology systems have become basic elements of these systems everywhere. Introduction of automation to land administration has improved systems’ efficiency, standardisation and accessibility, which in turn have contributed to responsible land governance. Developing country land administrations are, however, often inefficient and poorly structured. This results partly from the lack of adapted and flexible software tools to standardise, structure and maintain the cadastre and the land registration. Open-source software bears a promise of a way forward. This booklet, which has been jointly prepared by FAO and FIG, demonstrates through theory and country experiences that open-source software has become a credible alternative to commercial off-the-shelf software in the field of cadastre and land registration systems.
