PhD research descriptions
PhD researchers enrolled in research projects under the School for Land Administration Studies.
Mr. Zahir Ali (Pakistan)
Development of a digital cadastral system for Pakistan
The Land Information System is a tool for legal, administrative and economic decision making as well as an aid for planning and development. This involves on one hand the database containing, spatially referenced land related data and on the other hand the procedures and techniques for systematic collection, updating, processing and distribution of the data to the end users in an efficient manner. The Land Information System in Pakistan is based on traditional system of land registers and records that are some what complicated, outdated and quite incompatible to the new developments. While realizing all the facts and the factors that are hindering in development of a country wide operational cadastral map database in Pakistan, it is felt that there is a need to at least initiate efforts towards achieving this formidable task in an organized manner.
With the above background, this study will highlight all the constraints and limitations that may be encountered in the process of digital cadastral system development. All the related issues will be discussed in the integration of legal and geometric cadastral information under country environment. Also the use of suitable satellite remote sensing data will be encountered to provide quick support in the development of base map for the cadastral system development. In this study all the relevant subjects and issues, both technical as well management involved in the process of development and implementation of digital cadastral map database in the country will be touched and some solutions will be proposed.
Ms. Monica Lengoiboni (Kenya)
Integration of geo-information and land administration and management for pastoral nomadic tenure systems in Eastern Africa
This study is about how pastoral nomadic customary tenure and urban sprawl relate and impact each other. Urban sprawl (in space and time) and urban population's demand for private land results to competition in land access with the pastoral nomads, who operate with the norms of communal land ownership, and whose livelihoods depend on livestock husbandry and mobility as influenced by environmental variables in space and time.
This study tries to find out how spatial information of both pastoral nomads and urban society can be exploited and used, in order to manage effective access to land. The research will focus on identification of technological, institutional and operational requirements, and the approach for bringing suppliers and stakeholders together for the effective use of social-spatial information, and their responsibilities in the Land Administration perspective. The overall objective is to develop a land administration system to support policy implementation for protection of pastoral nomadic land rights.
Ms. Naranchimeg Bagdai (Mongolia)
Design issues of National Land Information Systems (NLIS) under the stress of land privatisation law: case study in Mongolia
There is growing need all over the world for land information as a basis for planning, development and control of land resources. Problems concerning the optimal use of land resources and improved land management are also important issues. Information related to the specified land units is a cornerstone of LIS, since data concerning ownership and other property rights, boundaries, areas, land uses, market and assessed values, buildings, habitation etc., are all interrelated (Gerhard Larsson 1996).
Mongolia is now in a transition period to open democratic society and free market economy. During this transition period we are been facing with a demand to intensify and reform policy by revision of legal documents on land relations in harmonizing with directions of socio-economic development strategy and policy.
Within the land reform policy, the development of National Land Information System (NLIS) is a large issue and complicated matter in which many different factors have to be taken into consideration. My PhD research will concentrate on designing issues in setting up a NLIS in Mongolia interrelating to legal and organizational functions under the newly formed Agency of Land Affairs Geodesy and Cartography (ALAGaC). The purpose of the NLIS is to deliver an information system of national scope capable of assisting the ALAGaC in all its functions, different administrative levels but with early emphasis on cadastral mapping and registration of titles to land and other immovable property. The serves the main purpose has advancing the government’s land privatization policy and providing a more streamlined and transparent service to the public and will support good governance, economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Mr. Anthony Arko-Adjei (Ghana)
Integrated customary land management: Towards re-engineering land administration models in dynamic customary tenure systems
In most sub-Saharan African countries, formal land administration systems originate from lands set aside for colonization. Traditional land tenure has prevailed in the remaining areas of these countries, where most of the population live. Also, parts of areas on which the growing cities have been developed are under customary tenure. Where population density in general is low, customary land arrangements and administration exist as stable entity. As population increases resulting in the growth of many towns, various forms of tenure systems emerge together with different kinds of spatial units of land which, becomes complex to co-op with the present land management systems. Many land titling programs implemented in these areas often fail. New innovative models are therefore required to manage these customary lands.
The research aims at developing appropriate land administration models sustainable within this dynamic tenure environment. The model seeks to develop methodologies for defining appropriate Land Administration processes for rural-urban transition and peri-urban areas through the integration of varying mix of responsibilities amongst village and community institutions, traditional leaders, local and central governments thereby improving good governance in these areas.