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News & Events Mejorando el Acceso a los Datos sobre la Tierra: El SOLIndex y la Guía Open Up
Mejorando el Acceso a los Datos sobre la Tierra: El SOLIndex y la Guía Open Up
Enhancing Access to Land Data: The SOLIndex and Open Up Guide
 An abstract painting about Enhancing Access to Land Data
Charl-Thom Bayer
 An abstract painting about Enhancing Access to Land Data

 

As an advocate for open land data, the Land Portal Foundation aims to improve access to land data, engage stakeholders, and support actions that promote data openness. I recently had the opportunity to introduce the State of Land Information Index (SOLIndex) and talk about the Open Up Guide at the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) Partners’ Meeting in Nairobi and show how these tools play a vital role in improving access to land information.

The SOLIndex serves as a comprehensive tool designed to measure the openness of land data. It assesses the availability and accessibility of land data, providing an overview of the state of land information. By focusing on indicators related to land administration functions, including land use, land tenure, land development, and land value, the SOLIndex enhances land-related services. It makes land-related findings more actionable and to complement existing land governance monitoring systems.

In the evolving landscape of AI and data provision, not to mention historical power dynamics of land, ethical considerations regarding data and inclusion are critical. Through the  SOLIndex we aim to initiate a discourse on data ethics, justice, and inclusivity in the land and data sector. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing service delivery and connecting that to the relevant data. By aligning the data assessments with operational  requirements, the SOLIndex is designed to ensure their use and effectiveness.

The SOLIndex is built upon a conceptual framework that provides the overarching rationale and significance for this research. It describes the core concepts and situates the SOLIndex within the multiple context of land administration, open data as well as land data. To provide clear indicators for measuring data openness and accessibility, the SOLIndex focuses on specific data categories tied to land administration functions. Criteria developed from the open data initiatives such as online availability, accessibility, metadata standards, licensing, and machine-readability are evaluated to determine the  availability of land data and information.

By utilizing a comprehensive scoring system, the SOLIndex enables assessment of the openness and availability of land data. It utilizes 10 open data  criteria across four data categories to provide an overall score for the state of land data that is globally comparable. The results can be used to serve as a diagnostic tool that provides multiple entry points for analyzing the state of data and information across data categories and criteria of openness. This approach encourages introspection and facilitates discussions on improving data openness, discoverability, interoperability, and accessibility. While such indicators and scoring systems may be contested and results questioned, it is critical that the scoring and assessments are completely transparent. As such the dataset matrix, scoring and methodology are made open and available to facilitate further assessment and improvement.

 

 

The Land Portal Foundation has partnered with the Global Data Barometer (GDB) and the International Land Coalition (ILC) to align indicators and complement existing initiatives on tracking the state of land data. The SOLIndex is designed to reflect equity and inclusivity considerations as well as being a contribution to improved land monitoring for climate change and sustainable development. The Land Portal Foundation plans to pilot the SOLIndex in around 17 countries by 2023, with the possibility of expanding data collection to over 100 countries in the future. However, successful implementation will require appropriate partnerships and corresponding resourcing.

Building on the SOLIndex, the Open Up Guide is a soft tool that can support governments in implementing practical steps towards the opening up of land data and information. It involves identifying land data resources online, documenting them systematically, and evaluating their openness(based on the State of Land Information Methodology) and supporting their open publication by government.

The Land Portal Foundation's SOLIndex and Open Up Guide are invaluable tools for enhancing access to land data globally. By assessing data openness and promoting open data practices, these tools empower stakeholders to make informed decisions, foster transparency, and drive positive change. As the foundation continues to refine and develop these tools,we welcome feedback, contributions, and collaborations to create a more inclusive and accessible land data ecosystem.

 

Related content:

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Estado de la Información sobre la Tierra (SOLI)

 

La investigación y los informes en torno al Estad de Información Sobre la Tierra (State of Land Information - SOLI) pretenden ofrecer una visión general de los datos y la información disponibles públicamente sobre cuestiones clave relacionadas con la tierra. El objetivo de la investigación es evidenciar las múltiples fuentes de datos e información sobre la tierra a nivel nacional y ayudar a identificar las lagunas reales de datos e información, con el fin de establecer una línea de base para intervenciones específicas destinadas a mejorar el ecosistema de la información. 

Nuestra sólida metodología demuestra no sólo las tendencias y las lagunas en la recopilación de datos sobre la tierra, sino que funciona como una guía práctica en apoyo de la mejora de la visibilidad y la facilidad de uso de los datos y la información sobre la tierra. Los informes SOLI sirven como primer paso en la aplicación de la Guía Open Up para la Gobernanza de la Tierra (Open Up Guide for Land Governance).

En 2021, iniciamos la investigación de SOLI en cinco países de África. Nuestro objetivo es desarrollar informes SOLI para una docena de países de África para 2024.

 

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Open Up Guide for Land Governance

Governments rarely publish their primary land tenure, use, value, and development data in open and reusable formats. Yet land is a critical global asset, and land governance — the exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority over land — should include processes for citizens to participate. Publishing open data on land governance has known barriers. In some cases, reliable, formal land tenure data does not exist at all or is not in digital form. Metadata is inadequate. Governments are hesitant to publish data that may include sensitive personal information. 

The Open Up Guide for Land Governance is therefore a practical resource to be used by governments from developing countries to publish land-related data to improve data quality, availability, accessibility and use for improved citizen engagement, decision making and innovation. It sets out:

  • Key datasets for land management accountability, and how they should be collected, stored, shared and published for improving land governance and transparency;
  • Good data policies and frameworks;
  • Existing gaps or challenges in the policies and frameworks; and
  • Use cases from real-life examples to illustrate the potential impact and transformation this type of data can provide in local contexts.

“There is an open data revolution happening now,” says Laura Meggiolaro, Team Lead of the Land Portal, “and the Land Portal is transforming the landscape for land governance data. We are proud to co-launch this new, highly researched Open Up Guide in collaboration with our colleagues at GIZ and the Open Data Charter.”     

The Land Portal complements this work by assessing how OPEN land data is in various countries -- to know more, check the State of Land Information.

Read the Open Up Guide for Land Governance Click to see the research methodology overview
        
        

 

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Open Up Guide for Land Governance

Governments rarely publish their primary land tenure, use, value, and development data in open and reusable formats. Yet land is a critical global asset, and land governance — the exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority over land — should include processes for citizens to participate. Publishing open data on land governance has known barriers. In some cases, reliable, formal land tenure data does not exist at all or is not in digital form. Metadata is inadequate. Governments are hesitant to publish data that may include sensitive personal information. 

The Open Up Guide for Land Governance is therefore a practical resource to be used by governments from developing countries to publish land-related data to improve data quality, availability, accessibility and use for improved citizen engagement, decision making and innovation. It sets out:

  • Key datasets for land management accountability, and how they should be collected, stored, shared and published for improving land governance and transparency;
  • Good data policies and frameworks;
  • Existing gaps or challenges in the policies and frameworks; and
  • Use cases from real-life examples to illustrate the potential impact and transformation this type of data can provide in local contexts.

“There is an open data revolution happening now,” says Laura Meggiolaro, Team Lead of the Land Portal, “and the Land Portal is transforming the landscape for land governance data. We are proud to co-launch this new, highly researched Open Up Guide in collaboration with our colleagues at GIZ and the Open Data Charter.”     

The Land Portal complements this work by assessing how OPEN land data is in various countries -- to know more, check the State of Land Information.

Read the Open Up Guide for Land Governance Click to see the research methodology overview
        
        

 

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Informações sobre o Estado da Terra (SOLI)

 

As pesquisas e relatórios sobre o Estado da Informação da Terra (SOLI - sigla em inglês) procuram fornecer uma visão geral dos dados e informações disponíveis ao público sobre as principais questões fundiárias. O objetivo da pesquisa é descobrir as muitas fontes diferentes de dados e informações sobre a terra em nível de país e ajudar a identificar as lacunas de dados e informações reais, com o objetivo de estabelecer uma linha de base para intervenções direcionadas para melhorar o ecossistema da informação.

Nossa eficiente metodologia demonstra não apenas tendências e lacunas na coleta de dados fundiários, mas funciona como um guia prático de apoio à melhoria da visibilidade e utilização de dados e informações fundiárias. Os relatórios SOLI servem como o primeiro passo na implementação do Guia Aberto de Governança Fundiária.

Em 2021, iniciamos a pesquisa SOLI em cinco países da África. O nosso objetivo é desenvolver relatórios SOLI para uma dúzia de países africanos até 2024.

 

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État de l'information foncière (SOLI)

La recherche et les rapports sur l'état des informations foncières (SOLI) visent à fournir une vue d'ensemble des données et informations publiques disponibles sur les questions foncières clés. L'objectif de la recherche est de découvrir les nombreuses sources différentes de données et d'informations foncières au niveau national et d'aider à identifier les lacunes réelles en matière de données et d'informations, en vue d'établir une base de référence pour des interventions ciblées visant à améliorer l'écosystème de l'information.

Notre méthodologie robuste démontre non seulement les tendances et les lacunes dans la collecte de données foncières, mais fonctionne comme un guide pratique à l'appui de l'amélioration de la visibilité et de la facilité d'utilisation des données et informations foncières. Les rapports SOLI servent de première étape dans la mise en œuvre du guide Open Up pour la gouvernance foncière.

En 2021, nous avons donné le coup d'envoi de la recherche SOLI dans cinq pays d'Afrique. Nous avons pour objectif d'élaborer des rapports SOLI pour une douzaine de pays d'Afrique d'ici 2024.

 

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Open Up Guide for Land Governance

Governments rarely publish their primary land tenure, use, value, and development data in open and reusable formats. Yet land is a critical global asset, and land governance — the exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority over land — should include processes for citizens to participate. Publishing open data on land governance has known barriers. In some cases, reliable, formal land tenure data does not exist at all or is not in digital form. Metadata is inadequate. Governments are hesitant to publish data that may include sensitive personal information. 

The Open Up Guide for Land Governance is therefore a practical resource to be used by governments from developing countries to publish land-related data to improve data quality, availability, accessibility and use for improved citizen engagement, decision making and innovation. It sets out:

  • Key datasets for land management accountability, and how they should be collected, stored, shared and published for improving land governance and transparency;
  • Good data policies and frameworks;
  • Existing gaps or challenges in the policies and frameworks; and
  • Use cases from real-life examples to illustrate the potential impact and transformation this type of data can provide in local contexts.

“There is an open data revolution happening now,” says Laura Meggiolaro, Team Lead of the Land Portal, “and the Land Portal is transforming the landscape for land governance data. We are proud to co-launch this new, highly researched Open Up Guide in collaboration with our colleagues at GIZ and the Open Data Charter.”     

The Land Portal complements this work by assessing how OPEN land data is in various countries -- to know more, check the State of Land Information.

Read the Open Up Guide for Land Governance Click to see the research methodology overview
        
        

 

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State of Land Information (SOLI)

The State of Land Information (SOLI) research and reports seek to provide an overview of publicly available data and information on key land issues. The aim of the research is to uncover the many different sources of land data and information at the country-level and help to identify actual data and information gaps, with a view to establishing a baseline for targeted interventions to improve the information ecosystem. 

Our robust methodology demonstrates not only trends and gaps in land data collection, but functions as a practical guide in support of improved visibility and usability of land data and information. SOLI reports serve as the first step in the implementation of the Open Up Guide for Land Governance. 

In 2021, we kicked off SOLI research in five countries in Africa. We aim to develop SOLI reports for a dozen countries in Africa by 2024.

 

Landing page

Open Up Guide for Land Governance

Governments rarely publish their primary land tenure, use, value, and development data in open and reusable formats. Yet land is a critical global asset, and land governance — the exercise of political, economic, and administrative authority over land — should include processes for citizens to participate. Publishing open data on land governance has known barriers. In some cases, reliable, formal land tenure data does not exist at all or is not in digital form. Metadata is inadequate. Governments are hesitant to publish data that may include sensitive personal information. 

The Open Up Guide for Land Governance is therefore a practical resource to be used by governments from developing countries to publish land-related data to improve data quality, availability, accessibility and use for improved citizen engagement, decision making and innovation. It sets out:

  • Key datasets for land management accountability, and how they should be collected, stored, shared and published for improving land governance and transparency;
  • Good data policies and frameworks;
  • Existing gaps or challenges in the policies and frameworks; and
  • Use cases from real-life examples to illustrate the potential impact and transformation this type of data can provide in local contexts.

“There is an open data revolution happening now,” says Laura Meggiolaro, Team Lead of the Land Portal, “and the Land Portal is transforming the landscape for land governance data. We are proud to co-launch this new, highly researched Open Up Guide in collaboration with our colleagues at GIZ and the Open Data Charter.”     

The Land Portal complements this work by assessing how OPEN land data is in various countries -- to know more, check the State of Land Information.

Read the Open Up Guide for Land Governance Click to see the research methodology overview