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 Land Portal Foundation, as a non-profit organization operating at the intersection of the open data and land governance communities, has been privileged over the past 5-8 years to be in a position to observe some interesting trends affecting the land governance data landscape.
The Land Portal Foundation has launched a new Land & Investments Portfolio that unpacks the key concepts, terms, international frameworks and policies, and many other aspects critical to understanding how land investments affect society.
The Land Portal Foundation reported another successful year in 2022, making significant progress toward their organizational strategy and monitoring and evaluation framework. According to their annual survey, 87% of users reported a positive impact on their work, while the website continued to receive high traffic, averaging 74,000 visits per month.
During the colonial era, data and information was largely treated as confidential in Malawi. According to Mambulasa (2016), many statutes in Malawi dating back to colonial times promote government secrecy and the withholding of public information. This has resulted in lingering land administration and management challenges. Land-related problems have been a constant feature of Malawian society, including the pre-colonial, colonial and post independence period starting in 1964.
The Land Portal Technical Advisory Group is composed of individuals with diverse expertise and a common inclination towards innovation and social change. This group has been crucial in providing guidance and on the ongoing operation, development and innovation of the Land Portal over the past decade.
We are seeking a Chief Technology Officer to lead the provision and ongoing development of the core Land Portal online presence, and to provide technical leadership in our work to create an open and inclusive information ecosystem for land.
The successful candidate will demonstrate a deep understanding of established and emerging technology, and translate this understanding into impact for the Land Portal Foundation.
17 February 2023 — The Land Portal Foundation has been selected by the European Union (EU) for a €1.6 million grant, a decision that underscores the organization’s vital role in the land governance sector. The funds will accelerate the Land Portal’s work to bring the land governance and open data communities together, fueled by its foundational belief that access to information is crucial for achieving good land governance.
The Land Portal Foundation is pleased to welcome Dr. Cynthia Caron and Dr. Richard Baldwin to our Board of Directors for a three-year term. We thank our departing board members, chair Timothy Fella and Dr. Ritu Verma, for their longstanding commitment to and support of the Land Portal. They helped guide the Land Portal through major growth and transition during the last six years, and their counsel has been invaluable in shaping our work. Dr. Elizabeth Daley, current secretary of the board, will assume the chairship.
The Land Portal is hiring researchers with expertise on Liberia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Mozambique, Ghana, and The Gambia.
As we embark on the holiday season, I want to thank you and the rest of our Land Portal community for your ongoing support. It is only through your engagement and commitment that we can continue to provide outstanding programming, information, and data about land governance around the world. In 2022, the Land Portal was one of the most visited websites for land information with ~74K monthly visits. With origins as a start-up project aggregating land articles, we are doubly gratified that the Portal has become a valuable online destination with rich, original content.
Land Portal is looking for a Drupal Developer
