Using Information Communication Technology (ICT) Tools in Managing Customary Land, Demarcation, Conflict and Tenure Data in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Zambia

Zambia has in the recent years witnessed domestic and international land boundary conflicts as a result of commercialization, urban-rural migration and high demand for customary land and its consequent translation into monetary values due to improper land demarcation system and partial documentation of customary land parcels. In this study we propose the utilization and integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools such as the Participatory Geographical Information System (PGIS) and the mobile application to be used in the implementation of the customary land management system. This will enable families and community groups to properly demarcate customary land boundaries in order to reduce land conflicts and provide security of tenure. We began by a baseline survey to ascertain the methods and type of information used by chiefs in customary land management. Based on the baseline study, we developed a mobile application using PGIS technologies. In our baseline study, the results showed that 61% of the residents had their land demarcated using trees, 29.4% had used ant hills and 9.6% used streams. The study also showed the occurrence of land disputes due to inappropriate land demarcation system, with 56% of the residents having experienced family boundary conflicts, 42% experienced selling of land by their leaders and 4% experienced communal land conflicts. Using the results from the baseline study, a mobile customary land management system model was developed. Using this model we developed a prototype which has the capability of harmonising land boundary coordinates for family and communal land and integrate with ownership details thereby reducing land conflicts and ensuring security of customary tenure. Keywords— land demarcations, PGIS, ICTs, Mobile Application, land allocation, boundary conflicts