Earlier this year, in honor of International Open Data Day, which took place on March 2nd, we put out a call, asking Land Portal users and any and all interested to submit their very own data stories to the Land Portal.  What we were looking for were stories that were unique and original, and that presented data in innovative and engaging ways.  We realized that this was no easy feat, but each and every one of the submissions we received made inventive use of photos, quotes, maps and infographics to tell compelling stories.  In the end, the be

The land sector is in the throes of the Global Data Revolution, which, of course, has created opportunities as well as challenges.  Government data portals, open access academic journals, community mapping and other citizen-generated data initiatives create possibilities for inclusive and open approaches to data collection and management.  But how can these opportunities be leveraged for real change and benefits to citizens?

This coming weekend, Openhack will be hosting Openhack Gothernburg 2019.  Openhack is a collaborative community where ideas and knowledge are exchanged in order to solve humanitarian challenges through open source development.  Hackathons are physical meetings that take place and innovations are sparked to life. This is where tech volunteers, aid organizations, social actors, and sponsors together in the same building to work together.

This week an important new book on ‘The State of Open Data: Histories and Horizons’ was launched by IDRC and African Minds.

There is no doubt that the Data Revolution is upon us. Geo-spatial monitoring, citizen-generated and crowd-sourced data, almost ethereal and intangible concepts just a few years ago, are beginning to make their way into everyday lexicon.  More data are being produced today than ever before, from a wide array of sources.  In the end, this new and emerging data can only be of value when it is used responsibly.  Turning data into knowledge and knowledge into power is no easy feat.  We have a collective responsibility to ensure the Data Revolution is inclusive and leveraged to effectuate real c

Dear Land Portal users,

The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure is an internationally negotiated framework to improve land governance.  For those working in the land sector, it is a framework which is referred to regularly. Perhaps this is because the VGGT comprises inputs from over 1000 stakeholders with different cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world. Since its’ inception in 2012, as of today, almost 140 countries have officially endorsed the VGGT in international forums.

Something exciting is around the corner! Our team is hard at work building a spatial platform, fit for the needs of everyday users! We want to be gone with polygons and spatial coordinates being reserved for experts.  What we really want is for conversations around data to be inclusive. This platform aims to achieve exactly that! Read more here below: 

Why a Spatial Platform? 

There is no doubt that we are living in the era of information. Availability of accurate and up to date information, including data, is critical to planning and management, for transparency and accountability.  It can help inform learning and scale up good practices, as well as implementing policy, especially when it comes to land. While it is an often-repeated rhetoric that there is a lack of land data, the reality is slightly more nuanced than this.

The data ecosystem is an extremely vast and cluttered space. What data exist? What data is up to date? What data is reliable? Who owns the data? Can I use the data without inflicting harm? Who are the data subjects? Many people across numerous sectors struggle with such questions and more on a daily basis. The land governance sector in India is no different. But somehow, it seems the land data ecosystem in India is more complex and controversial.

Having and using information has always been a powerful force for change, helping to fight corruption, enabling citizens to participate more fully in public life and allowing people from all walks of life to exercise their fundamental human rights. We live in a time when paradoxical topics such as ‘fake news’ and ‘big data’ are part of our everyday lives.

Of late, land has increasingly been figuring into the development sector, for both positive and negative reasons.