Developing a Modern Cadastre in Lao PDR

Bounhom HeuangsavathDeputy Director General, Department of Lands, Lao PDR

10 May 2007

Project Contributors

Lao PDR

• 16 provinces, 1municipality • 6.2 million population

– 80% based in rural areas• 236,800 sq km area• Estimated 1.6 million land

parcels (PAD, 2003)• Adopted the New Economic

Mechanism in 1986

MYANMAR

CHINA

CAMBODIA

THAILAND

Gulf of Tonkin

CHINA

VIETNAMPhongsaly

HouaphanLuang Prabang

Bokeo

Luang Namtha

Vientiane

Udomxay

Xiengkhouang

Borikhamxay

Khammouane

Savannakhet

SaravaneSekong

Attapeu

Champassak

Sayabouly

XaisombounSpecial Zone

Vientiane Municipality

S

N

EW

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Lao Land Titling Project

• Started July 1997– Phase 2 October 2003- 2008

• Focused on urban , peri-urban and lowland agriculture land

• Working in 9 of seventeen provinces in Lao PDR• Adjudicated 450,000+ land parcels• Produced 4,500+ cadastral maps

Cadastral Surveying and Mapping

The proposed vision of cadastral surveying is one which supportsthe development of a computer land information system where registration details and cadastral surveying and mapping information is seamlessly linked.

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The Cadastral Map

• The cadastral map is used to:– show the relationship of

land parcels to their adjacent parcels;

– provide a graphical index for reference to land parcel information;

– provide a unique parcel identifier number to prevent the issue of more than one land title for each parcel.

Justifying Cadastral Mapping

(Rainsford, 2002)

Land Administrations

• Responsibilities for land defined in Land Law (2003)– 17 functions of land management– 10 Ministries to fulfill these functions

• The National Land Management Agency is “charged with the management of the land of the whole country” (Land Law, 2003)

Land Administrations

• National Land Management Authority structure:National Land Management

Authority

Department of Land Use Planning and

Development

Department of Natural Resources,

Information and Research Center

Department of Lands

Department of Land Policy and Land Use Inspection

Department of Cabinet

• The National Geographic Department is also a key partner to cadastral surveying in the Land Titling Project

Land Information Coordination Strategy

• Provides guidance of data sharing mechanisms to support growing stakeholder demand for data

• Develops the concept of a National SDI• Promotes vision for spatial information to support

economic, social and environmental interests• Importance of current, complete and accurate

cadastral information (especially spatial)

• Accessibility is developing through:– Single agency responsibility for coordinating land information– Development of a National GIS Committee responsible for

policy, standards and sharing protocols of land datasets– Setup of a Land Information Center in Vientiane Capital

• Improved integration through:– The Land Titling Project is developing computer capacity to

support a platform for coordinating spatial information– New spatial information tools providing support to land

administration and management activities.

Improving Accessibility and Integration

Creating a Digital Cadastral Map

The LTP is building the fundamental data infrastructure for future land administration and land management functions in Lao PDR.

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LTP Computerisation Plan

• The Computerisation Strategy will improve data access, useability, and coordination of land related activities.

• Action Plan for Cadastral Survey and Mapping:– Phase1: Establishing foundations for the computerisation of

cadastral survey (2005–06);– Phase2: Training and equipment rollout (2005 – 2008);– Phase3: Maintenance and operations of computerised

cadastral survey (2005 – ongoing);– Phase4: Data integration (2006 – 2015).

Creating a Digital Cadastral Map

• There are 8 tasks involved in the development of a Digital Cadastral Map

Digital Cadastral Data

• The benefits of having the parcel framework in digital form include:– Property values or sales information can be plotted on maps

to assist in auditing values or analysing sales to determine rate tables.

– Land use can be portrayed to assist in urban planning, zoning or for identifying non-conforming land uses.

– State land parcels can be graphically displayed to assist in planning, leasing and disposal activities.

– Land tax declarations can be mapped to discover properties and check land areas.

Issues Moving to a Modern Cadastre

• Improving the ICT systems • Data custodianship

– Storage, maintenance and updating– NLMA to regulate the data sharing policy

• Training requirements • Financial considerations

– Future benefits require complete computerisation

Conclusions

• The National Land Management Authority and other government agencies now demand land-related spatial data.

• The Land Titling Project is developing important data infrastructure for land administration and management in Lao PDR.

• Within this there is increased capacity to coordinate land related multi-agency relationships.