Building better livelihoods

Building better livelihoods
Land Reform, Administration and Management
and Land Related Investments
Introducing ORGUT
ORGUT is an independent staff-owned service provider in international development cooperation.
Our Head Office is based in Stockholm, Sweden and together with offices in Finland, the UK,
Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa and Vietnam this comprise the ORGUT Group. ORGUT
UK was established in 2010 to further develop our sector expertise in land administration and land
management. The office is staffed by senior land administration professionals.
As a global actor, ORGUT has accumulated experience from over 80 countries in Europe, Africa,
Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Since 1973, ORGUT has built a strong reputation as a
professional and experienced consultant in our core business areas natural resource management and
sectors such as environment, land administration, agriculture, water, governance, business
development, public sector development and result-based monitoring.
ORGUT is a service provider in the land sector and designs practical, sustainable and gendersensitive ways of formalising land and resource ownership. As a socially committed company,
ORGUT puts people at the centre of development and believes that both social and institutional
development and the equitable distribution of, and access to, resources and skills are pre requisites for true development and improved public (or basic) services delivery. Over the
years, ORGUT has devised an approach to land administration that recognises the inter relationships between land administration and natural resource management, agriculture
development and local government.
Building better livelihoods in a
sustainable, equitable and pro-poor
manner in developing and fragile
economies is the focus of ORGUT’s
work within the land sector.
Capacity building of institutions working with lands issues is the focus of the majority of ORGUT’s
technical assistance projects and programmes in this sector. Our competence and resource base
includes capacity to provide:
 Support to reforms in land development/ administration
 Institutional and organisational reviews and institutional development
 Policy and land law analysis and development
 Land registration including the design, development and implementation of land
registration databases
 Business process analysis and strategic planning
 GIS for land management and administration
 Data collection systems including mapping and surveying techniques
 Technical requirements analysis and preparation of technical specifications
 Capacity development including needs assessments and development of tailor made training
courses
 Public awareness campaigns on land issues
ORGUT’s capability in the land sector is unique in its combination of expertise to support land
development and natural resource management, land use planning, forestry sector development,
water resource management, and legal matters related to natural resources and environment and land
management. In addition, our know-how covers land tenure, land markets, valuation and property
tax, land conflict resolution, public awareness campaigns as well as related climate mitigation and
adaptation.
ORGUT has carried out several assignments in regards to
land related investments. ORGUT supports donors to
understand the potential impacts and risks and therefore
analyses possible strategic partnerships with funding
institutions including Impact Investors dealing with land
related investments that can benefit people living in
poverty. Recognition and protection of land rights of the
poor is a key determinant for positive outcomes of
commercial agriculture investments and hence ORGUT
works with a range of measures to secure land rights.
For more information about ORGUT visit www.orgut.se
This brochure is also available on www.orgut.se/reference-library as well as
other material in our Building Better Livelihoods series and publications from
relevant projects.
ORGUT in-house staff in the Land Sector
Dr Richard Baldwin is the Managing Director of ORGUT UK with responsibility for leading the
Land sector within the ORGUT Group. Richard has wide experience in strategic management, project
management skills and business planning especially in cadastral organisations and land registry,
including land administration systems design and supporting the development and implementation,
financial analysis, business planning, cost recovery and cost–benefit analysis, benchmarking of land
administration services, including market and user needs analysis, products and services pricing policy
specialist in land information systems. Richard has close to 20 years of experience from the land
administration sector with management of large, complex projects with an individual value of up to 8
m USD. He has worked in more than 20 countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean and Asia.
Richard has acted as an Adviser for EU, WB and UN. He holds a PhD from University of Newcastle,
M.Sc. in Photogrammetry from University College of London as well as an MBA from IEDC Bled.
David Harris is a permanent staff member of based at ORGUT UK. He is currently serving as the
Team Leader and Chef Technical Advisor for the Responsible and Innovative Land Administration
(REILA) Project in Ethiopia. David has extensive experience in rural and urban project management
and on land reform, land registration and cadastral projects, in Africa and the transition economies of
Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia. In past 10 years he has managed several land
administration projects including in Ethiopia, Albania, Ukraine, Kosovo, Romania and Mongolia. All
of these roles involved managing multi-disciplinary teams of local and foreign experts. He has worked
with funding from Sida, MFA Finland, World Bank, ADB and EU. David holds an M.Sc. on Cadastre
& Land Information Management from Polytechnic of East London and he is a Fellow of the Royal
Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Pertti Onkalo is the Managing Director at ORGUT Finland and is Senior Consultant in Land
Administration. Pertti has close to 15 years of experience in land administration in national and local
level in Africa, Asia and East-Europe and in leading position at the local governance level in Finland.
He is specialized in institutional development, systematic land registration, GIS, developing costeffective methodologies and capacity building. Pertti has worked closely together with community
representatives, local government officers and central ministries to develop transparent, pro-poor and
gender sensitive approaches on planning, programme implementation, capacity building initiatives,
training, workshops and public awareness activities for communities. Pertti has extensive experience
working with MFA Finland funded projects. He has carried out a detail analysis of cadastral
organisations and land registration systems in Kosovo, Cambodia and Tanzania. Pertti holds an M.Sc.
in Land Administration from the University of Technology in Helsinki and a B.Sc. in Forestry from
Oulu Technical Forestry School.
Robert Bäckström is a land tenure expert with extensive experience in project coordination and
management in land administration and natural resource management sectors, including planning,
design, budgeting, accounting, financial reporting and internal auditing. He has provided backstopping
to programme management and adopted technical assistance inputs to national development policies
and regulations. Robert has been actively involved in initiating, implementing and monitoring
strategic development and improving administrative and financial routines for several projects
supported by ORGUT. He has been strongly involved in ensuring that development initiatives are
targeted to the poorer sections of the communities. Robert has strong experience in capacity building
and has served as coordinator for the Sida funded International Training Programme on Rural and
Peri-Urban Land Administration in the SADC Region. Robert holds an M.Sc. in Land Administration
and Natural Resources Management including surveying and mapping from Royal Institute of
Technology in Stockholm.
Greg Jacobs is based at ORGUT Finland and has 20 years of development experience focused on
land reform work and environmental justice, especially in the rural context in Africa. Greg brings 15
years experience from working with M&E and is specialized in rights-based approaches and
sustainable livelihoods in land and agrarian reform, rural development, natural resource management
and land tenure. Greg has several years experience working with MFA Finland funded projects that
includes Project Manager/Home Office Coordinator positions in six projects. He also has carried out
project formulation and mid-term reviews for MFA Finland. He holds an M.Sc. in Rural Development
from Imperial College in UK and a BA (Hons) in Geography and Environmental Science from
University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
Benita Nordin is a land surveyor with extensive experience from the land sector in Africa and Asia.
Benita is the Team Leader for the MCA-Namibia Communal Land Support Sub-activity. Benita has
in-depth knowledge of land administration through both practical and managerial experiences of all
aspects of land administration both in rural and urban areas. She has worked with institutional
development and capacity building within the area of land administration, multi-purpose cadastre, land
registration and land information systems; the development, implementation, installation and
maintenance of such systems. Benita holds an M.Sc. in Land Surveying from the Royal Institute of
Technology in Stockholm.
Mark Probert is a Senior Consultant in Land Administration and has over 15 years experience in
national mapping developments, map production and field surveys. He has worked world-wide for a
range of donors including DFID, EU, WB and MCA. Mark has a wide range of experience in all
aspects of mapping, land administration and capacity building but in recent years he has been
particularly focused on developing Mapping Policies and strategies for Land Information Systems and
Spatial Data Infrastructures. He has been strongly involved in the development of the EU INSPIRE
initiative. Mark holds an M.Sc. in Land Information Management & Mapping from University of
Portsmouth and is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Robin Waters is a Senior Consultant in Land Administration with extensive experience in
management, capacity building, advising and assisting government organisations and commercial
companies in land administration, geographic information and spatial data infrastructure. He has long
experience of political, technical, marketing and practical aspects of managing land and geographic
information systems and the transition from conventional to digital technology. Robin is recognized as
a leading expert in the UK and has been leading the Association for Geographic Information’s
INSPIRE working group in the UK since 2007. Robin holds an M.Sc. in Computer Science from
Birmingham University and Graduate Diploma in Geographic Information from City University in
London. Robin is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a Chartered IT
Practitioner.
Karin Fogelberg is a land surveyor with wide competence in the fields of land tenure, land
administration and land management. She is currently serving as Chief Technical Advisor in
Community Based Natural Resource Management for the Sida funded institutional support project at
the Association of Local Authorities of Tanzania. Before that she held another long term position in
Tanzania as the Team Leader for the post-programme phase of the Land Management Programme.
Karin has served on several projects for over 13 years in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. She is
specialized in capacity building and institutional development and works closely together with
community representatives, local government and ministries with training needs assessment, planning
for capacity building initiatives, training, workshops and meetings for communities. Karin holds an
M.Sc. in Surveying from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm.
Neil Smith is a Senior Consultant in Land Administration at ORGUT UK since 2010. He is a
specialist in land information systems working in the geographic sector more that 30 years and
advising senior officials in over 15 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. Neil is specialised in rural
and urban land information consultancy, land administration policy formulation, system design and in
GIS and database development. He has particularly wide experience and knowledge in land
registration and cadastral projects including project management, capacity building, business and
technical strategies, customer service, development of cost-effective methods, development of
geographic information standards, with an excellent knowledge of practical implementation and
strategic issues relating to Information and Communication Systems. He has wide experience of
advising governmental bodies in land administration, national mapping and geographic information
and holds an M.Sc. in Spatial Data Analysis from University of Durham and a BA in Geology and
Geography from the University of Keele. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors in the UK.
Thomas Dubois is a land surveyor with solid professional experience as Technical advisor and
International Cadastral Mapping / Surveying Expert. He has extensive and proven experience from
Southern Africa in capacity building and knowledge sharing both at University and user levels since
1993. Thomas is highly competent with Computer Assisted Surveying and Geographical Information
Systems, including land administration methods, mapping and satellite imaging as well as registration
and cadastral surveying and brings profound theoretical knowledge of surveying (Geodesy,
Photogrammetry etc) from e.g. programming geodetic network adjustment software. He has practical
experience from designing, planning, training and performance of a full scale cadastral mapping
production chain in Amhara region in Ethiopia, including the establishment of a geodetic reference
network. He holds an M.Sc. in Surveying the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm.
Dr Ulrike von Mitzlaff has more than 15 years experience from Africa where she has worked at a
community level focusing on community development planning , socio-economic issues, governance,
democratisation, gender, equity, poverty alleviation, human rights and community development.
Several of these projects have been lands projects where a major element has been land tenure,
resettlement and disputes at the local level. Ulrike has extensive experience of dealing with community
level issues, outreach, conflict management, community engagement.
She holds a PhD in Ethnology from the University of Göttingen, Germany.
Håkan Sjöholm has worked with ORGUT since the early 1980’s. He has lived and worked in East
Africa for over 25 years and specializes in natural resource management, such as land use planning,
forest management, integrated land and watershed management, participatory forest management in
community/village level, climate change, carbon sequestration and the FLEGT process in relationship
to forest governance. He has extensive experience of operating and managing projects including
identification, planning and M&E. Håkan served as the Team Leader for the Sida-Amhara Rural
Development Programme in Ethiopia that developed a transparent and sustainable land administration
system and a system of handling valuation, property planning and computerized property and land
registration. He holds an M.Sc. in Forestry the Royal College of Forestry in Sweden.
Ian Corker is serving as the Team Leader for the Systematic Land Regularization Project within in
MCC supported Land Administration Reform Project in Lesotho for ORGUT. Ian has over 35 years of
experience worldwide in project management, design and evaluation and all aspects of land
administration including titling, registration, tenure, land information systems, surveying and as a
Chartered Arbitrator, has direct experience of adjudication, dispute and conflict resolution. Ian has
extensive knowledge and understanding of customary land law at both the community and policy level.
In addition as a Land Use Planner Ian has managed Land Use Planning Units and working on
government resettlement projects, agricultural development issues and participatory village land use
planning. Ian holds a Masters in Geographic Information from City University in London and a B.Sc.
(Hons) in Geology from University of Durham, postgraduate diplomas in Land Resource Planning
from National College of Agricultural Engineering in Silsoe and Arbitration from College of Estate
Management in Reading. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the UK.
Dr Valentin Kotzev is a Senior Consultant in land surveying, mapping, cadastre and systematic
registration. He is a highly experienced geodesist with 30 year experience in establishment and
development of geodetic infrastructure having sound knowledge in application of modern terrestrial
and satellite techniques to GIS, mapping, photogrammetry and cadastre. He has a wide experience in
implementation of land administration projects with cadastral surveying and systematic land
registration, including design, quality control and documentation of procedures for field work, digital
mapping, GIS, setting up geodetic reference systems, applications of GNSs/GPS, and development of
CORS systems. Valentin has an extensive record of delivering training, training materials and
preparation of technical specifications and standards in support of cadastral and geodetic applications
and preparing and supervising registration and survey contracts. Valentin holds a PhD in Technical
Sciences from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and an M.Sc. in Geodesy, Photogrammetry and
Cartography from the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy in Sofia.
Selected ORGUT References in the Land Sector
INTERNATIONAL
B4D and Land Related Investments
ORGUT has carried out several assignments as part of Sida’s B4D initiative “Special focus on land related investments”.
Understanding the impacts of planned land investment is serious business and requires specialised skills in social and
economic aspects, legal matters, surveying, GIS, photometry - all within the framework of national laws and regulations,
procedures, corruption tendencies and history. Donors interested in supporting e.g. agro-based investments in fragile and
changing systems must understand how risks can be mitigated. ORGUT therefore provides support in analysing the
negative impacts and risks related the investments while identifying their potential in creating pro-poor growth. To this
end, we identify and analyse strategic partnerships with funding institutions and investors by taking into account the
protection of land rights of the poor as a key determinant for a successful and sustainable outcome of a commercial agro
based investment.
ORGUT carried out one study on how land investments can be designed as to better benefit poor people. We provided
concrete examples to Sida of what various actors have done in order to increase the benefits and avoid the risks of
commercial agriculture investments for poor people. Impacts on livelihoods are analysed and examples were provided of
specific investment projects with potential positive impacts on one or more of the following key aspects: income
generation, food security and inclusion of smallholders. Recognition and protection of land rights of the poor is considered
a key determinant for positive outcomes of agro-based investments and hence the study included examples of measures to
secure land rights.
ORGUT was also tasked to further analyse possible strategic partnerships with funding institutions and so called
Impact Investors dealing with land related investments for Sida’s programme. ORGUT identified a number of strategic
partners through analysing their objectives and values and how they match with Sida’s values in general and with the
project on land related investments in particular. ORGUT has also implemented an assignment for the B4D land related
investments activity under Sida’s Helpdesk for Environment and Climate change. ORGUT looked into how commercial
investments in natural resources be designed as to better benefit people living in poverty. Investors with a long-term
perspective realise that pro-poor impacts can contribute to economic viability of their investments and reduce business risks
such as reputational loss and expensive and time consuming conflicts with local communities. ORGUT provided concrete
examples to Sida of what various actors have done in order to increase the benefits and avoid the risks of agro-based
investments for poor people. (Sida)
Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance on Land Tenure
Sida has over the years provided support to a large number of land-related interventions, either as stand-alone projects or as
components embedded in other larger programmes. Besides Sida’s support to land related interventions, Sida is also
working with land tenure on a global policy level. On a policy level, Sida is a member of the EU Working Group on Land
Tenure. The group was initiated in 2008 as a response to the increasing focus on land related investments and with the aim
to share experiences among the EU countries as well as to support a joint EU position on land related investments.
ORGUT is providing a senior Technical Advisor to Sida to provide support to Sida regarding the Voluntary Guidelines on
Responsible Governance on land tenure as well as to the EU Working Group on Land Tenure. (Sida)
Sida Framework Agreements
ORGUT is the lead service provide to Sida in the Framework for Agriculture, Forestry and Environment which also
includes issues related to land tenure. ORGUT is also providing services as part of the Sida Framework Agreement in
Market Development which includes business enabling issues including land market assignments.(Sida)
Advanced International Training Programme: Rural and Peri-Urban Land
Administration in the SADC Region
This training programme targeted decision makers and influential people in middle and top management positions. The
training components included land administration policies and practices in participants’ home countries, current
international developments in land tenure, land rights, land administration and ongoing research in these is fields within the
SADC region and methods for initiating policy formulation processes. The aim was to better inform and support some 30
key decision makers in facilitating land reform, supporting modernisation, institutional change and capacity building of
staff. (Sida)
Framework agreement in Rural and Urban Land Administration and Tenure
Legislation
Sweden’s support to Public Sector Development focuses on combating poverty through support to public sector institutions
involved in rural and urban land administration and tenure legislation. As part of this support, ORGUT held a multi-annual
framework agreement with Sida for provision of consulting services for short-term assignments, especially of a preparatory
nature, within Rural and Urban Land Administration and Tenure Legislation. (Sida)
AFRICA
Cape Verde: Services for the Land Management for Investment Project
The overall objective of the Land Management for Investment Project (LMIP) as part of the second MCA Compact is to
improve Cape Verde’s investment climate by refining the legal, institutional and procedural environment to create
conditions for increased reliability of land information, greater efficiency in land administration transactions, and
strengthened protection of land rights; developing and implementing a new land information management system; and
clarifying parcel rights and boundaries on targeted islands with high investment potential. ORGUT is starting up
preliminary works to the LMIP to undertake a study of the legal and institutional frameworks to identify gaps that needs to
be corrected in order to fulfil the full objectives of the LMIP; develop tools to assist decision making in the screening of
potential environmental, social and gender factors in the mapping of parcels and identification of rights in the second
activity of LMIP; develop a framework and procedures to support dispute reduction and resolution within existing Cape
Verdean laws and the International Finance Corporation Performance Standards; and prepare an Operations Manual to
guide all of the preparation and undertaking of the future fieldwork data collection and registration phases. (Millennium
Challenge Corporation)
Ethiopia: Responsible and Innovative Land Administration Programme
The REILA programme provides technical assistance and financial support to improving economic well-being of the rural
population through sustainable land management. This is facilitated by a land administration system that improves land
tenure and allocation for individual, joint, communal or private sector holders of land use rights. REILA operates at federal
to community levels and the team of advisors facilitates awareness of land rights, obligations and administration
procedures. Stakeholder participation is enhanced throughout the registration and certification processes. Institutional
capacity is strengthened and land administration procedures harmonized at the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ethiopian
Mapping Agency and the Regional Environmental Protection, Land Administration and Use Authorities. Appropriate legal
and technical frameworks are developed and competence built at zone and woreda level administrations. Accessible,
functioning, efficient and transparent land administration services is established with the priority on rapidly building up
zonal Land Administration Offices. The team supports improvements of processes and increases capacity for responsible
land allocation for better land use and investments in the Tana-Beles Growth Corridor and for second level registration and
certification on the Amhara side. (MFA Finland)
Ethiopia: Institute of Land Administration at Bahir Dar University
Together with the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, ORGUT supports this Institute of Land
Administration which was established in 2008. Building capacity in land administration is part of Amhara Region’s overall
strategy for sustaining poverty reduction and food security gains. The programme meets immediate needs for competent
national land administration professionals, but also strategically increases the institutional capacity required for a robust
and self-sustaining land administration sector in the country. Components include a four-year BSc level programme in
Land Administration, capacity building of institute lecturers, distance education and evening BSc programmes, and
upgrading of academic staff from BSc to MSc and from MSc to PhD level. An internship programme for different land
administration organisations has also been introduced. During 2012, special focus has been on cross-cutting issues such as
gender, HIV/AIDS and environmental consideration and how they can be integrated in to the pedagogical work. A new
campus was constructed and a Research and Publication Unit was established. The institute has become a member of the
International Federation of Surveyors (FIG). (Sida)
Ethiopia: Computerizing existing first-level records in pilot Kebeles
ORGUT is overseeing the data entry of the first stage records of the pilot kebeles in the three main regions (Oromiya,
SNNP and Tigray) of Ethiopia. Although the four main regions (Amhara, Oromiya, SNNP and Tigray) have made
considerable progress in conducting first-stage registration and certification programs (with a low-cost, traditional
approach), there are still remaining challenges particularly in terms of maintenance of records and apparent lack of any
spatial references. The WB is providing technical assistance to the government of Ethiopia to support its effort in the design
and implementation second level registration and certification programs leading up to a more sustainable land
administration system. To this end, the government is implementing field trials for image-based, second level registration
and certification programs, financed under the Bank funded SLMP, in one selected woreda (one rural kebele and parts of a
neighboring town) in each of the four main regions of the country. The first stage records will be used as a basis for the
second stage certification. Computerizing the existing first-level records of the pilot rural kebeles will help assess the
quality of the first stage records, e.g., in terms of gaps in coverage, gender imbalances, and the extent of updating and
maintenance of records. The output from this exercise will be crucial for designing the scale up of the trial at the national
level. (World Bank)
Ethiopia: Establishment of a Harmonised Land Administration System
This study proposed arrangements for the technical creation and maintenance of spatial and textual land records and a
programme for completion of the rural registration process. A national ICT strategy was also developed and
recommendations were given for a national land records software development programme. These detailed technical
proposals were presented in a series of workshops across Amhara, Tigray, Oromiya and Southern Nations, Nationalities,
and People's Regions and endorsed by Ethiopian specialists and senior administration officials. The results of this project
will be used by the World Bank to formulate follow up projects aimed at technical and organisational standardization and
harmonisation across regions. (World Bank)
Ethiopia: Institutional Structure and Human Resource Development Needs in the
Land Administration Sector
The study assisted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in considering alternative scenarios for the creation
of a national federal organisation able to support the human resource needs within land administration of the federal
regions, each of which has its own authority tasked with land effecting administration. (Sida)
Ethiopia: Technical Assistance to the Regional Bureau of Environmental
Protection, Land Administration and Use
The technical assistance aimed at technical modernisation of the land administration system in Amhara region and thereby
providing improved tenure security for rural land holders by fulfilment of registration of all holdings. An innovative low
cost solution for computerised records management using a newly developed royalty free runtime software application,
ISLA, was developed and is now installed in 42 woredas and loaded with more than two million first level certificates.
Documented procedures for carrying out the detailed survey and registration of parcels were also developed, and an
innovative largely open source application for managing the spatial boundary information, integrated with ISLA is under
prototype testing. Extensive training, capacity building and detailed technical instruction in computer maintenance,
security, as well as field procedures were provided. This is the first operational computerised land registry system to be
developed installed and made operational in Ethiopia. (Sida)
Ethiopia: System Development for ELTAP, Strengthening Land Tenure and
Administration Programme
As part of ORGUT’s support to the Sida – Amhara Rural Development Programme a computerized land registration
system, the Information System for Land Administration (ISLA) was developed. ISLA offers a possible platform for
development into a land information system to be used by all regions and the federal government. The USAID-funded
ELTAP was interested in this development and desired to test it in the ELTAP regions and woredas. ORGUT therefore
carried out a review of whether ISLA could be used in the implementation of ELTAP. As a result, the program started to
use ISLA in supported woredas in Amhara region. (USAID)
Ghana: Formulation of the National Spatial Development Framework
The Land Administration Programme undertakes legislative and institutional reforms and key pilots to lay the foundation
for a sustainable land administration system that is fair, efficient, cost-effective and guarantees security of tenure. As part
of the process to implement the new spatial planning system, the Town and Country Planning Department is to prepare the
National Spatial Development Framework in collaboration with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC)
and other relevant stakeholders, with funding support from the World Bank. This will ensure the spatial manifestation of
the National Development Plan, and other long term development visions of Sector Agencies, Ministries and Agencies. The
services to be provided, starting in 2013, will seek to achieve the following: Provide a spatial expression of the economic,
social and other policies of government at national level, as outlined in the National Development Plan; and provide a
framework which gives policy direction to land use planning and management at the national level, to guide the preparation
of other lower hierarchy plans, such as regional, sub- regional and district Spatial Development Frameworks, Structure
Plans and Local Plans. (World Bank)
Kenya: Technical Assistance to the Ministry of Lands
Services were provided to support the Land Reform Transformation Unit in managing the reform in a coordinated and
systematic manner through the facilitation of activities in strategic capacity building, demonstration interventions,
institutional reform, public education and awareness, land information management system (LI MS), legal issues, land
management and administration as well as actual LRS programme management. The assistance was part of the Land
Reform Support Programme where the World Bank and USAID also are major contributors. (Sida)
Lesotho: Systematic Land Regularization
This project is implemented as part of the Millennium Challenge Account assistance which facilitates poverty reduction
through economic growth in Lesotho. This is taking place within the MCC supported Land Administration Reform Project
which aims to establish a modern and efficient land administration service through supporting a new unified Land
Administration Authority, legal and policy reform, and also public outreach and training as well as the registration
component. Massive systematic regularization is carried out of informal settlements in and around Maseru and local
authorities, political and traditional leaders are included in this process. Land is mapped to show the boundaries and
ownership of land parcels and to create and distribute leases for these parcels which can be registered and then distributed
to the rightful occupants. Rights of the existing legitimate occupiers of the land are strengthened through this process of
formalising their occupancy rights, and thereby affording the occupiers the benefits of secure tenure. This will provide
better protection of the rights and enable the rights to be transferred more easily, or potentially used as security for credit
etc. The project will bring about the effective regularisation of 46,000 urban/peri-urban plots. An additional requirement is
to make an optional proposal for the regularisation of a further 24,000 plots. (Millennium Challenge Corporation)
Namibia: Implementation of the Communal Land Support Sub-Activity
Towards the end of 2012, the contract with the Millennium Challenge Account Namibia was signed to implement the
Communal Land Support (CLS) Sub-Activity. The CLS Sub-Activity, together with the Community Based Rangeland and
Livestock Management (CBRLM) Sub-Activity, comprise the Land Access and Management Activity, which is part of
MCA-N’s Agriculture Project. The Sub-Activity is designed to support the mandate of the Ministry of Lands and
Resettlement to implement the provisions of the Communal Land Reform Act 2002 which governs communal lands
throughout Namibia. The Sub-Activity attempts to address a number of constraints with respect to land tenure and land
administration that are preventing land resources and land rights from being put to their most productive and sustainable
uses. Addressing these constraints will contribute to achievement of the overall objective of the MCA-N Compact – the
reduction of poverty through economic growth – and will ensure that the related Compact investments will have maximum
impact. The overall objective of the CLS Sub-Activity is to improve the administration and management of communal
lands, with an emphasis on the Northern Communal Areas. The specific objectives of the CLS Sub-Activity are to improve
the climate for investment in and use of communal lands for economic growth; support Traditional Authorities, Communal
Land Boards, Ministry of Lands and Resettlement and local residents in their ability to protect and manage commonage;
and to increase landholders’ tenure security over their individually allocated properties and communities’ tenure security
over the commonage in the Northern Communal Areas. (Millennium Challenge Corporation)
Rwanda: Support to the Land Tenure Regularisation Programme
Through a comprehensive consultation process with all key stakeholders, ORGUT conducted a detailed appraisal and
design of a programme of direct financial aid support to the Lands and Mapping department of the Rwanda Natural
Resources Authority (RNRA) to ensure sustainability of the Land Tenure Regularisation Programme. DFID has been
supporting the land sector since 2002 and is now the leading donor support for the national roll-out of land tenure
regularisation in Rwanda. ORGUT provided a detailed project document in line with the overall, strategic objective of
RNRA with specific, time bound, realistic and measurable outputs, outcomes as well as indicators. Thereafter, an annual
performance evaluation of the programme was carried out. Progress was reviewed against the updated log frame and
progress assessed against recommendations from previous reviews. (DFID)
Tanzania: Design and Implementation Support of an Integrated Land Management
Information System and Enhancing Accessibility of Land Records
The Ministry of Lands Housing and Human Settlements Development (MLHHSD) is transforming land management
processes and operations aiming at improving the ability of the Ministry and land offices in the Local Government
Authorities to deliver services efficiently and effectively. ORGUT provides services for the design and supervision phase
of an Integrated Land Management Information System and the enhancement of accessibility of land records. A detailed
project design and implementation plan is provided after studying the existing computerised systems. The project will
ensure that the system integrates all land related transactions and functions. (World Bank)
Tanzania: Sustainable Management of Land and Environment in Zanzibar
This second phase of SMOLE contributes to reduction of poverty through supporting environmentally sound land
management and socio-economic development. SMOLE II is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of
Construction, Water, Energy and Lands and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Environment. Their operational
level capacity is strengthened in sustainable land and environmental management. The ministries receive support for
institutionalising good environmental management practices as part of the two programme components Support to Land
Management and Administration and Strengthen Environmental Management and Natural Resources Management. The
team builds institutional capacity, provide implementation support and assist in method, policy, law and process
development. Land use planning, land management, forestry and environment, information systems management,
environmental impact assessment, natural resources management and environmental standards development complement
the technical assistance package. (MFA Finland)
Tanzania: Land Management Programme
Technical assistance was provided to assist in securing the land rights of villagers in four districts including training of
village legal workers, legal assistance to villagers and district staff. Support was provided to increase awareness on land
rights to reduce land conflicts targeting for villagers, District Staff, Councilors and Members of Parliament and to facilitate
the provision of Certificates of Village Lands. In addition, recommendations of how land registration could be organized
including type, standard, and price of hard- and software were given. Aerial photography and detailed mapping of all 280
villages in the four rural districts of Singida, Simanjiro, Kiteto and Babati, and land use planning models for sustainable
utilisation of natural resources was introduced and supported. Sida supported the programme. (Sida)
ASIA
Kyrgyz Republic: Information Technology Services to the Second Land and Real
Estate Registration Programme
The project included technical supervision related to the development and implementation of a modern electronic based
land administration system including both a land registration component and a cadastral component. The LRERP
programme is a multi-year world bank project which aims to modernise the sector and strengthen the Department of
Cadastre and Registration as well as introducing a modern information system able to provide land administration services
across a network of 49 land registration offices across the territory as well as a new centralised integrated services offering
e-services and able to operate in a sustainable manner with financial self sufficiency. (World Bank)
Mongolia: Sustainable Implementation of the New Property Registration System
The assignment for the Millennium Challenge Account - Mongolia is part of the urban component of the Property Rights
Project which aims at increasing the security and capitalisation of land assets held by lower-income citizens. The formal
system for recognising and transferring land rights is improved, and fully marketable private land titles are issued to
suburban area residents in Ulaanbaatar and eight Regional Centres. ORGUT works with improving the property
registration services at the General Authority for State Registration (GASR). The business processes of the system for
property rights registration is improved which includes archiving, human resources and accounting as well as supporting
the IT infrastructure. As the GASR has been established relatively recently and has unified previously dispersed offices and
processes, there is work needed to enable effective integration of isolated staff and operations. A strategic vision and plan
along with a supporting business plan are created, HR skills strengthened and of a customer service culture established. The
project also enables the GASR to be sustainable both in terms of finances and operations. ORGUT provides expertise in the
areas of strategic planning, business analysis and planning of registration systems, land policy and registration, project
management, land law, organisational management, change management, senior management development, finance,
financial control, accountancy, management accounts and training. (Millennium Challenge Corporation)
EUROPE
Albania: Study on Property Registration and Gender Equality
The study provided background information to Sida for deciding on possible support to the area of land rights in general
and with a focus on property related to natural resources. ORGUT reviewed previous land reforms with special attention to
inclusion of gender aspects and the protection of the rights of women. The study supports Albania's challenges in order to
qualify as candidate for EU membership and a functioning land market. (Sida)
Albania: Study on Land Tenure Issues
The purpose of this study was to provide background information to Sida for further development and possible support to
the area of land rights in Albania. The study reviewed the land tenure arrangements in Albania for (a) rural areas
(agricultural land), (b) forests and pastures, and (c) urban areas. The main focus was on rural land and forests/pastures.
However, a general review of the legal/regulatory and institutional framework for land rights covered all areas of property
rights, including rights in urban areas. (Sida)
Albania: Study on Land Administration, IPRO and Decentralisation
Sweden has supported the Land Administration Program (LAMP) with the World Bank since 2005 to assist Albania’s
Immovable Property Registration Office (IPRO) to develop a system for land registration 2005-2010. The system is
installed at IPRO in Tirana Headquarters and test phase two is under way. The study carried out by ORGUT examines the
prerequisites for support to the property registration and examines the set up authorities and the role of IPRO locally and
nationally. Immoveable property information forms the basis of market economy in the community. IPRO intends to
provide real estate information, automated over the Internet for different target groups in the country through so-called One
Stop Shop. Towards self-financing IPRO have target groups in real estate and credit markets. The study aimed to support
urban planning, natural resources, public health and livelihoods, and education. (Sida)
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Study on public attitudes and market demand for land
administration services, Land Registration Project,
ORGUT conducted a study on public attitudes and market demand for land administration services. A strategy for dealing
with illegal encroachment was developed, including recommend regulatory changes. A strategy for dealing with issues of
privatisation, restitution, land planning and development controls and land-related disputes was also developed. (World
Bank)
Croatia: Services to the Integrated Land Administration System Project
The objective of the Integrated Land Administration System Project (ILAS Project) is to modernize the land administration
system in order to improve on the government services from the point of view of efficiency, transparency and costs. As part
of this project, ORGUT carried out a study on the further Real Property Registration and Cadastre Joint Information
System (JIS) development and to help the decision makers at the Ministry of Justice and State Geodetic Administration to
define the key activities for the mid-term projects in preparation for the new ILAS Project co-financed by the World Bank.
ORGUT provided a range of ICT consulting services covering: the strategic information system development, IT
management, land administration business processes improvement with ICT technologies or, more specifically, centralized
printing, data warehouse, disaster recovery, e-government, interoperability and related generic technical specifications.
ORGUT has continued supporting this project during 2012, specifically in regards to the Real Property Registration and
Cadastre Joint Information System (JISThe JIS has experienced problems with functionality, the IT/IS Architecture and
software architecture. ORGUT therefore developed TOR for an independent auditor to perform a technical quality audit of
the JIS; participated in selection of the auditor; and reviewed the auditor’s deliverables. (World Bank)
Croatia: Services to the Land Registry Offices
The project involved the development of a Document Management and Digital Archive strategy for the Ministry of Justice,
Croatia which could be applied to all of the Land Registry Offices of Croatia. The project included an initial situation
verification followed by the development of a Records Management Policy for the Land Registry to establish which
records which could be subject to digital archive, which records are core and options for the disposal/return of no core
records. A Records Management Strategy was developed, debated and then finalised which included an implementation
plan for a centralised off site storage facility supporting scan on demand. Bidding documents were also prepared for the
creation of the digital archive in a “pilot” of 30 LRO including some 12 million pages of Deeds and LandBook entries, the
creation of a new Document Management System, and the data loading and verification of the digital archive data. (World
Bank)
Georgia: E-Governance Facility
This project aims at implementing e-Government applications to enhance the functionality of Government institutions at
central and local level to better serve the citizens and private sector actors. ORGUT supports the project component related
to the National Agency of Public Registry and Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) through working with
the production of high quality coordinates from measurements with Global Navigation Satellite System technology and
CORS infrastructure and establishing a national geodetic reference system based and connected to the European Terrestrial
Reference System 1989. (EC)
Kosovo: Programme for the Development of Land Administration
Technical support was provided to the operations of the Kosovo Cadastral Agency at the central level and local cadastral
offices at municipal level. Focus was on strengthening of the Immovable Property Rights Register and the improvement
and implementation of an efficient, cost-effective and customer-service oriented system. The support included development
of a building and apartment register, address register, and property value register, and the integration of textual and
graphical data. Support also included streamlining of registration procedures and involving the private sector in cadastre
measurement and surveying on pilot basis. Management issues were in the focus of capacity building inputs as well as
support to reorganisation. (Sida)
Moldova: Consulting Services to the Agency for Land Relations and Cadastre
ORGUT develops an Information and Communication Technology Strategy for the State Enterprise CADASTRU. The aim
is that the strategy shall assist CADASTRU to develop a modern IT solution for registration of ownership and other rights
in land, as well as for other data; ensure that all information is well integrated, interoperable and functioning as a part of the
National Spatial Data Infrastructure; and ensure better services to users and improved public access to property
information. (Norwegian Mapping Authority)
Moldova: First Cadastral Project at the Agency of Land Relations and Cadastre
The project aimed at institutional strengthening of the cadastral system and assuring of its financial and institutional
sustainability. Technical assistance was provided to strengthen the cadastral system and staff capacity in managing and
using it. Assistance was also given to implement a new system for property mass valuation and appraisal to improve the
quality and reliability of the cadastral system, public access to cadastral data and information, and facilitation of property
transactions as a confidence building measure. (Sida)
Romania: Study for the National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration
This project was concerned with an institutional review of the land administration authority in Romania and a comparative
study with other similar European institutions. The study focused on the institutional structures and the financing of the
organisations, especially considering how organisations can be financially self-sufficient while providing a range of land
administration services and ensuring that the basic registers are complete. In Romania, special attention was paid to the
state of completion of the registration, the planning strategic planning process and financial self sufficiency. The study is to
be used to help establish a larger institutional support and systematic registration project. (World Bank)
Serbia: Capacity Building for the Serbia Real Property Registration and Cadastre
Project
A comprehensive training programme to prepare the Republican Geodetic Authority for the arrival of an USD 30 million
World Bank funded cadastral modernisation project was delivered. The programme included Strategic planning and
management of land administration and geographical information organisations, Customer service including marketing and
pricing of services, modern IT technology and system solutions for land administration, real property registration, land
administration and geographical information, Human resource management, Project and office management, Accounting
and financial management, Procurement and contracting, Monitoring and Evaluation. A comprehensive Mentoring
programme for top management was also delivered. (Sida)
CARIBBEAN
St Vincent and the Grenadines: Land Titling and Land Registration Programme
The support involved two distinct components; a component aimed at developing National Land Policy, and a component
aimed at supporting the technical modernization of the land administration sector. A national Land Policy was developed
over a period of 18 months with intensive involvement of stakeholders; a land policy forum created, and the Land Policy
was presented to cabinet and officially endorsed by Government in March 2010. The project also created the technical
specifications and procurement of hardware, software and surveying equipment. (EC)
LATIN AMERICA
Nicaragua: Farm Land Registration in FondeAgro
Through this rural development programme, support was provided to initialize a farm land registration program by
assisting in the establishment of a “fast track” for land title registration in blocks of 400 titles with the purpose of
addressing the lack of legal titles to farmland as a major obstacle to accessing agricultural credit for producers in seven
rural municipalities in Matagalpa and Jinotega provinces in northern Nicaragua. Gender awareness campaigns launched has
led to 90 % of the land is registered in the name of both husband and wife. (Sida)
ORGUT GROUP
ORGUT is an independent staff-owned service provider in international development
cooperation. Our Head Office is based in Stockholm, Sweden and together with subsidiary
companies in Finland, Kenya and the UK this comprises the ORGUT Group.
As a global actor, ORGUT has accumulated experience from close to 90 countries in, Africa, Asia,
Europe, Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean. The Group also manages representations in
Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa and Vietnam. Since establishment in 1973, the ORGUT Head Office
has been, and still is located in Stockholm, Sweden. The Head Office is in charge of the management
of the Group as a whole, as well as of ORGUT Sweden. This is the hub of ORGUT’s administration,
financial management, business development and market management. The majority of our
assignments are coordinated and managed by Head Office staff.
ORGUT Finland builds on ORGUT’s aim of further develop its provision of consulting services to the
Finnish market and to utilise the excellent Finnish resource base of consultants with international
experience and to create links to Finnish Universities. The office is staffed with personnel with long
term experience of Finnish funded development projects. The company is maintaining a wide network
of Finnish consultants within the fields of land administration, water and sanitation, water resource
management, forestry, agriculture and project cycle management.
ORGUT Kenya was established to link the existing strong national talent and capabilities with
international experience where necessary in addressing Kenya’s development challenges. Areas of
key competence include institutional reform and performance management; natural resources
management; including water resources management and the provision of water and sanitation
services and; building practical adaptive capacity to climate change. The office has the capacity to
undertake financial and administrative management support.
ORGUT UK provides advanced expertise in land administration, management and related sector
reform. The office located in Bath is staffed by senior land administration professionals and project
management staff. ORGUT UK has rapidly developed a reputation for high quality delivery of
complex consulting assignments and has special competence in systematic registration and large scale
cadastral mapping; IT strategy and technical supervision for land administration; institutional and
organisational reviews as well as policy development, strategy and business planning. Also part of the
ORGUT UK capabilities are conducting business process analysis, requirements analysis and
preparation of technical specifications; spatial data standards and their integration and INSPIRE.
Read more on www.orgut.se