The Economic Benefits of Geospatial Technology in the Developing World

Land-titling programs in low-income nations have provided the opportunity to leverage the application of geospatial technology to support low-cost titling and expedite implementation. The spatial data acquired and managed in land administration is often a cornerstone of a broader spatial data infrastructure (SDI) in a country. Geospatial technology use in land titling is often viewed narrowly in scope; consequently the benefits associated with its application are not adequately examined. This is reflected in the economic models used in evaluating the feasibility of land administration programs, typically through metrics such as Economic Rate of Return (ERR). After first describing the multipurpose nature of geospatial technology and examining the key attributes of spatial data infrastructure, this paper will examine qualitatively the benefits often considered in the economic models used for evaluation of landadministration programs by multilateral development banks. The goal is to convey the multipurpose nature of geospatial technology and why it should be given greater consideration when evaluating landadministration projects.