The document discusses collecting comparable land data to track progress on global frameworks like the SDGs and VGGTs. It describes the development of core land indicators and advocating for a stand-alone SDG indicator on secure land tenure (1.4.2). Administrative and survey data are needed to measure legally recognized documentation and perceived tenure security. The SDG process creates urgency to agree on methodology and build capacity for regular data collection to demonstrate how land matters and inform policy.

1. Evidence-based Land Policy,
monitoring progress & the
opportunity of the SDGs
Thea Hilhorst - May 2018

2. Quest for comparable land data
Issue:
• Multiple indicators for measuring land, different definitions,
• Sample size, coverage, frequency and methods of collection vary
But, comparable & regular data needed for:
• tracking progress; Identify good practice
• needed for global and regional frameworks (VGGTs, RAI)
2012: MCC, UN Habitat and World Bank started work on Global Land Indicators – hosted by
GLTN
• Aim: Develop harmonized core group of quantitative performance indicators that can be
utilized by different stakeholders to produce globally comparable land data

3. Consultative Process => SDGs
EGM – 2013 -2015: Core indicators across 4 areas and potential data sources and needs (Land
Tenure Security; Land Conflicts; Land Administration Service delivery; Sustainable Land
Use Management)
Decision for advocacy for stand alone SDG indicator on goal of Secure Land Tenure as part of Goal
1 Poverty (1.4.2)
• 2015 Successful vibrant network: CSO, government, dev. partners and UN/IFI
• Custodians UN Habitat and World Bank – partners incl networks of Global
Donor Working Group on Land; Global Land Indicators Initiative
• Tier IIII
• Methodology : close coordination with FAO (5.a.1); efficient data collection
using same land module to calculate different indicators
• Nov. 2017: Inter Agency Expert Group on SDGs approved metadata /
methodology for 1.4.2 => tier II; countries start to include in SDG action plan
• Tier I: by 2020 regular data produced by 50% countries & covering 50%
population by region
1.4.2 : “Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with (i)
legally recognized documentation and (ii) who perceive their rights to land as secure, by
sex and by type of tenure”.
Requires administrative data & survey data

4. 3
Administrative data
• Land agencies: cadasters and registries
• Legally documented rights by tenure type
• prepare country specific meta-data
• Mainstream gender into land administration
• Basis for expansion: Expand: transactions, reported disputes,
property tax collection; expropriation
• Cheap & high frequency - Once system established),
• granular (disaggregated)
• Basis for performance monitoring of Land admin service delivery :
dashboards
• actionable

5. 4
Data collection SDG 1.4.2 – survey data
national statistical agencies: collect, analyse and report
Preferred multi topic Household surveys: High precision; multiannual
• Jointly with FAO ( 5.a.1); Integrated in all relevant surveys and statistics
• Perceived tenure security & actual incidence of disputes; documentation
(where land administration paper based)
• Standardization of key land tenure concepts; Consistent measurement of
land tenure security and perception of tenure
• Fully gender-disaggregated (tenure type; age; region)
- Methodology: self-reporting – interview individuals

6. Module Options
Is self-reported data
collection feasible?
Yes
Is parcel-level data
desired / feasible?
Yes
Does a full parcel
roster exist in the
questionnaire?
No
Version 1
Yes
Version 2
No
Version 3
No
Is parcel-level data
desired / feasible?
Yes
Version 4
No
Version 5

7. Questionnaire Review
A look at Version 1 (self-respondent, parcel level data
collection)
Color coded questions:
SDG 1.4.2 SDG 5.a.1 Both 1.4.2 & 5.a.1 Analytical purposes only

8. Questionnaire Review
1. 3.
PARCEL ID PARCEL NAME
Please tell me about
each parcel for
which you currently
own or hold use
rights for, either
alone or with
someone else.
Please describe or
give me the name of
each parcel, starting
with the parcel you
reside on, if
applicable.
How was this [PARCEL] acquired?
UNIT
1
__ __ __ __ . __ __ __ __ __ __ . __ __
AREA AREA IN ACRES
a. b.
FARMER ESTIMATION GPS MEASURE
What is the area of this [PARCEL]?
2.
GRANTED BY CUSTOMARY/
COMMUNITY
AUTHORITIES....1
ALLOCATED BY
GOVERNMENT......2
ALLOCATED BY
FAMILY MEMBER...3
INHERITED BY THE
DEATH OF A
FAMILY MEMBER..4
PURCHASED..........5
RENTED IN,
SHORT-TERM
(< 3 YEARS)......6 >> 5
RENTED IN,
LONG-TERM.......7
SHARECROPPED IN ...8 >> 5
BORROWED FOR
FREE...........9
BRIDE PRICE.......10
GIFT FROM
NON-HOUSEHOLD
MEMBER........11
MOVED IN WITHOUT
PERMISSION....12 >> NEXT
PARCEL
OTHER (SPECIFY)..13
CODES FOR UNIT:
ACRE.............1
HECTARE..........2
SQUARE METERS....3
OTHER (SPECIFY)..4
odes: SDG 1.4.2 SDG 5.a.1 Both 1.4.2 & 5.a.1 Analytical purposes only

9. Questionnaire Review
4. 5. 6.
Under which tenure
system is this
[PARCEL]?
What is the primary
current use of this
[PARCEL]?
Is there a
document for
this [PARCEL]
issued by the
Land
Registry/Cadas
tral Agency,
such as a title
deed,
certificate of
ownership,
certificate of
hereditary
acquisition,
lease or rental
contract?
DOC.
TYPE
NAME
LISTED?
DOC.
TYPE
NAME
LISTED?
DOC.
TYPE
NAME
LISTED?
What type of documents are there for this [PARCEL],
and is your name listed on any of the documents as
owner or right use holder?
LIST UP TO 3, SHOW PHOTO AID
DOCUMENT #1 DOCUMENT #2 DOCUMENT #3
7.
RESIDENTIAL...1
AGRICULTURAL..2
PASTORAL......3
FOREST........4
BUSINESS/
COMMERCIAL..5
DON'T KNOW....6
OTHER
(SPECIFY)...7
CUSTOMARY......1
FREEHOLD.......2
LEASEHOLD......3
STATE..........4
COMMUNITY/GROUP
RIGHT......5
COOPERATIVES...6
OTHER
(SPECIFY)...7 YES...1
NO....2 >> 8
CODES FOR DOCUMENT TYPE:
TITLE DEED.................1
CERTIFICATE OF
CUSTOMARY OWNERSHIP.....2
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY...3
CERTIFICATE OF
HEREDITARY ACQUISITION
LISTED IN REGISTRY......4
SURVEY PLAN................5
RENTAL CONTRACT,
REGISTERED............6
LEASE, REGISTERED..........7
OTHER (SPECIFY)............8
CODES FOR NAME LISTED?
YES.........1
NO..........2
DONT'KNOW..98
REFUSAL....99
Codes: SDG 1.4.2 SDG 5.a.1 Both 1.4.2 & 5.a.1 Analytical purposes only

10. Questionnaire Review
Codes: SDG 1.4.2 SDG 5.a.1 Both 1.4.2 & 5.a.1 Analytical purposes only
8. 9. 10.
Do you have the
right to sell this
[PARCEL], either
alone or jointly
with someone
else?
Do you have
the right to
bequeath this
[PARCEL],
either alone or
jointly with
someone else?
On a scale from 1 to
5, where 1 is not at
all likely and 5 is
extremely likely, how
likely are you to
involuntarily lose
ownership or use
rights to this
[PARCEL] in the next
5 years?
YES.........1
NO..........2
DONT'KNOW..98
REFUSAL....99
YES.........1
NO..........2
DONT'KNOW..98
REFUSAL....99
NOT AT ALL LIKELY..1
SLIGHTLY LIKELY....2
MODERATELY LIKELY..3
VERY LIKELY........4
EXTREMELY LIKELY...5

11. Example of analysis
10

12. SDGs provides momentum for better data on land tenure
security – and building capacity for their collection
Difference with MDGs
• country driven ; country ownership; voluntary
• Capacity building National statistical agencies/ system at core
• Universal indicator
• But many goals & many indicators
• Make the case that land matters
• Demand for data
For land community:
• SDG process & deadlines: create urgency and focus
• agree on what is good enough…
• More and better data; such as on “gender & land”
• => Keeps land on global policy agenda
• Opportunity of better data at country level
• More possibilities for livelihood and impact analysis; demonstrate how land tenure
security matters for poverty, food security, sustainability (disaggergated)
• Expand national statistics => basis for country-level programming
• => Beyond data collection: ensure that data are analysed, scrutinized, feed into
policy dialogue => build analytical capacity
11