A new publication titled "The Role of Metadata and Open Data in the Innovation Cycle of Land Administration" puts the spotlight on this dynamic domain. This publication offers valuable insights into the significance of open data and structured metadata, and how they can revolutionize land administration processes worldwide. By delving into the core principles of open data and metadata, this publication offers a comprehensive understanding of how these tools can be leveraged to foster innovation and drive positive change in the land governance sector.

https://landportal.org/event/2023/02/landac-conference-2023 At the Land Portal Foundation, we advocate for open land data and recognize the importance of land data in driving progress in support of sustainable development. We aim to engage stakeholders and develop supportive measures to advocate for the increased accessibility of land information and support capacity building in this regard. The current challenge we face is the inaccessibility of poorly managed land data, often limited to localized sources and overshadowed by information from large organizations. We emphasize the need to make information more available and accessible at the country level.

Along with GIZ and the National Agency for Spatial Planning, known as ANAT, in Senegal, we co-hosted a webinar, “Uncovering Land Data Opportunities in Senegal,” on 31 January 2023. The panel brought together open data and land governance experts to discuss the state of land information in Senegal – focusing on the findings from the SONI Senegal Report – and the way forward to a more inclusive, open and transparent land data ecosystem in Senegal. 

By Rohan Bennett, Eva-Maria Unger, Christiaan Lemmen, Kees de Zeeuw

By now, most readers are likely to have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic – perhaps directly through their own health or the health of those they know, or more indirectly through loss of work or income… and almost certainly through the changes in social norms and freedoms brought about by various lockdowns. This article explores the relevance of the land administration sector, disaster risk management and spatial information in the context of the coronavirus outbreak.