Land Administration Information and Transaction Systems

Project Narrative

Targeted, well-scoped and successful investments in land sector reform can also significantly grow government revenue. Yet the success of land administration reform projects depends on a range of factors, and investments in such projects can experience setbacks and may not always achieve anticipated aims within project timeframes. In short, the dynamic and highly contextual project environments of land investments can make it difficult to apply ‘global lessons learned’. So on what basis can we inform investments in the future?

This project seeks to build on key lessons from MCC analysis of existing projects to develop a White Paper and set of analytical tools that can guide MCC investment decision-making and investment scoping in the future. The outputs of the assignment will help define how MCC makes decisions about investments in land information and transaction systems as part of future projects related to land sector strengthening and reform.

Key Services Provided

LEI has prepared a draft State of Practice White Paper which sets out the current state of play of investing in information and communication technology for Land IT Systems. The White Paper identifies leading thinking around how and when to address the opportunities and challenges of designing, implementing and sustaining the performance of Land IT Systems. In doing so it:

• Summarizes new developments in land information and transaction systems design. This includes a consideration of trends and approaches relating to system architecture design, selection and implementation of system software and hardware, connectivity needs, and ongoing operational and maintenance requirements, including management models.
• Describes the main developments in terms of conceptual approach to design and implementation of such systems. Hence it considers existing and emerging financing models for land administration and information system transaction reform across government/donor/private sectors, approaches to risk identification and mitigation (and attention to risk appetites) and identification of how (and which) sustainability elements influence adopted approaches.
• Characterizes the main strategic approaches being taken by funders and system developers in terms of technology choice and designing and rolling out investments going forward.
• Addresses anticipated trends related to hardware, software, information storage, mobile communications, and geographic positioning.

LEI will shortly be leading a consultation on the White Paper which will foreshadow the development of a suite of analytical tools (the Toolkit) designed to guide and facilitate MCC investment decision-making and scoping for Land IT Systems.

The Toolkit will set out a decision matrix that can be used to guide MCC land experts in scoping and budgeting decisions on future investments in Land IT Systems in MCC partner countries. The Toolkit is likely to contain a set of modules, complemented by supporting material on factors that need to be considered for application of the Toolkit.

At this stage, it is anticipated that the Toolkit will include the following modules:

1. Design and complexity checklist
2. Institutional dimensions checklist
3. Technology dimensions checklist
4. Financial dimensions checklist and templates
5. Sustainability risk and risk-taking analysis and decision tool.

The factors that it is anticipated will need to be considered in applying the toolkit are:

1. System design parameters
2. Systems used/shortlisted, providers used/shortlisted
3. Investment conditions
4. Design criteria considerations.
5. TCO model and considerations