Improving land use in Laos

Context

In Laos, various ministries and affiliated agencies oversee land use and land management, yet their responsibilities often overlap without clear definitions. This ambiguity can result in the mismanagement of natural resources. The absence of reliable land use data, crucial for resolving land disputes and enhancing land management practices, further complicates the situation. Despite improvements in recent years, government agencies still require additional support to make full use of existing land planning tools and methods.

In response, the Land Management and Decentralised Planning (LMDP) project was initiated. From 2015 to 2019, it developed various tools to improve land use planning processes. These include the digital cadastre for land registration Lao Land Registration System (LaoLandReg), the Land Use Information System LUIS, Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP), Participatory Agriculture Land Management (PALM), Systematic Land Registration (SLR), and the Area Physical Framework (APF). Since 2020, the project, has focused on integrating and technically improving these tools.

Objective

The responsible authorities in the Lao PDR effectively manage natural resources and resolve conflicts over land use through proficient use of planning instruments.

Approach

The project focuses on three primary activities:

• Facilitating coordination among relevant ministries and development partners involved in land management to create guidelines for implementing responsible land policy.
• Embedding skills building measures within government authorities and academic institutions to enhance long-term technical expertise, digital skills, and procedural knowledge in land administration.
• Supporting the implementation of participatory land use planning and land registration in forest areas, as well as providing technical guidance to improve and expand the digital cadastre for Lao Land Registration (LaoLandReg) and the Land Use Information System (LUIS).

Last update: July 2024