Processes and Lessons
Successful land policy formulation and implementation depend on a complete and up-to-date inventory of land holdings. Such reliable land inventory informs land policy choices and implementation priorities. Tribal land management constitutes the largest of the three main tenure types that prevail in Botswana (tribal, State, and freehold). The land inventory is a means to support land administration, land development, land use planning, land transactions and natural resources management.
The land inventory is currently web based and GIS-enabled through the Tribal Land Information Management Systems and the State Land Information Management System. These systems now play a key role in land-related policy and management decisions. This publication documents challenges, opportunities, processes and lessons learnt for implementing a successful land inventory. This publication recommends that countries planning to embark on a land inventory process should adapt Botswana’s experience to their respective jurisdictions, while taking into account the political, economic, technological, socio-cultural and institutional arrangements.
Principal authors: Remy Sietchiping with substantive inputs from Chukwudozie Ezigbalike, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Dr. Boipuso Nkwae prepared the background paper for this publication.
Contributors: Clarissa Augustinus and Guglielma da Passano
Sponsors: Norwegian Government, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
