Developing an adapted land administration domain model profile for Kenya

Land is an important resource globally and its administration and management are crucial in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for example goal 15 and targets 1.4, 2.3, and 5.a. Most land information, more so in the developing countries, are paper based and manually managed. Several countries are working on digital migration for land processes and administration. This is done by first developing a data model for both land parcel and attribute information. International Standards Organization (ISO) Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) was developed in 2012 as a universally accepted model for managing land information. Since then, several countries have developed their country profiles, while others are in the process of developing their regional or country profiles based on their unique requirements. In Kenya, work on a country profile is underway.

Several factors need to be considered while developing or extending a LADM country profile. These include a defined scope and stakeholder involvement. Sound methodology is required to deliver a country model. Reviewing the existing legal framework and processes is key. Consequently, the needs of the users and reviewing the earlier proposed models is important. This research, has in addition, interviewed stakeholders and experts on land administration in Kenya and validated these through Focus Group Discussions.

To meet requirements related to gender rights and recordation, community land rights, pastoralists seasonal occupation of land and informal occupation required special attention in the process of developing the model for Kenya. The required attributes, Rights, Restrictions and Responsibilities (RRR) and relationship between the classes were also identified.

This paper provides a comprehensive set of requirements for developing an extended country profile for Kenya based on the ISO LADM.