An Introduction to Blockchain

Blockchain, at its most basic, is database technology. It is a type of distributed ledger, that can be concurrently accessed and updated by multiple users. Members of a blockchain network collectively validate new data through consensus algorithms and add the information to “blocks,” which are linked cryptographically into a “chain” (hence the term blockchain). As a result, this decentralized network creates an agreed-upon record of the time and origin of every data input, stored on many independent computers.

There is no doubt that the Global Data Revolution has reached the land sector. Government data portals, open access academic journals, community mapping initiatives and other citizen-generated data - there is a palpable positive drive across the world that allows processes such as data collection to be more inclusive and open. But within this data momentum, there are still many barriers and questions: Who can access the data, and how? What data is reliable? Who owns the data? What data is up to date? Can I use the data without inflicting harm?

lack of transparency in the land and property sector prevents individuals, communities and governments from unlocking the value of the property as an asset, and undermines policies and legal frameworks that aim to provide land tenure security, potentially leading to a misallocation of rights. In fact, land governance is ranked among the sectors in which people are most likely to pay bribes for access to services, according to Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer.

The Inter-Agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) was tasked by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) in its 50th session to “work jointly with custodian agencies and establish a fruitful dialogue between all parties, to further refine the guidelines by taking into account concerns raised at the forty-ninth session of the commission and to prepare criteria for implementation of the guidelines that are based on best practices and on ways to limit the burden that the

In April 2019, UN Habitat through the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) and Global Urban Observatory (GUO) Units; with support from the Global Land Indicators Initiative (GLII) contacted National Statistical Offices (NSOs), National Land Registries and SDGs focal points with the aim of mobilizing existing data on land tenure security in response to SDGs indicator 1.4.2. The data drive was conducted in support of UN Habitat Database for Human Settlements Indicators, for which 1.4.2 is part of.

OpenLandContracts.org is a repository of publicly available investment contracts for land, agriculture, and forestry projects. It features plain language summaries of key provisions and provides tools for searching and comparing contracts.

From 9th to 29th September 2019, Land Portal, Cadasta and GIZ co-hosted an online discussion focussing on the role of open land data in the fight against corruption. Drawing on over 100 contributions from 48 contributors covering six continents, the dialogue explored the opportunities and challenges for the use of open data as a tool to address land-related corruption. 

This September, the Land Portal hosted an online dialogue on ‘Open Land Data in the Fight Against Corruption’. This responded to a dual recognition that corruption remains a major issue in land governance, and that open data has been identified as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption. At the same time, gaps remain between the promise and the reality of open data in the land sector. Poor data availability, underdeveloped theories of change, and a lack of implementation support have all contributed to slowerthan-desired progress in data publication and use over the last decade.

The curriculum “​Open in Practice: Using Open Data, Knowledge Sharing and Information Management Systems in the Fight Against Land Corruption”​ is being developed to increase land professionals understanding of concepts relating to Corruption and Open Data, and identify how open land data can contribute to addressing the lack of transparency, poor accountability, and increase the participation of civil society actors in land administration, land-based investments & land policy related information.

An information 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. The land governance sector in India is no different. But somehow, it seems the land data ecosystem in India is more complex and controversial.

The report is based on a collaboration between the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa and the Land Portal Foundation, in collaboration with local partners, in individual countries. It is based on a wide-ranging survey of sources of land information in South Africa, conducted by the CSIR, ‘Sources of Land Information in South Africa and their Institutional Context’, published as a companion document.

Based on practical examples and on-going discussions, this paper critically reflects on prerequisites and conditions to be observed for open land data to contribute to increased transparency and better land governance. Moreover, the paper touches on the question of what open land data and transparency can mean for addressing land corruption which negatively affects the livelihoods and prosperity of many men and women globally.