Creating a public tool to assess and promote transparency in global land deals: the experience of the Land Matrix

Abstract

The Beta version of the Land Matrix (Land Matrix 2012) was launched in April 2012 as
\na tool to promote public participation in building a constantly evolving database on
\nlarge-scale land deals, and making the data visible and understandable. The aim of
\nthe Land Matrix partnership is to promote transparency and open data in decisionmaking
\nover land and investment, as a step towards greater accountability. Since its
\nlaunch, the Land Matrix has attracted a high degree of attention, and stirred some
\ncontroversy. It provides valuable lessons on the challenges and benefits of promoting
\nopen data on practices that are often shrouded in secrecy. This paper critically
\nexamines the ongoing efforts by the Land Matrix partnership to build a public tool to
\npromote greater transparency in decision-making over land and investment at a global
\nlevel. It intends to provoke discussion of the extent to which such a tool can
\nultimately promote greater transparency and be a step towards greater accountability
\nand improved decision-making. It will present the Land Matrix and its value addition,
\nbefore detailing the challenges it encountered related to the measurement of the largescale
\nland acquisition phenomenon. It will then specify how it intends to address
\nthese issues in order to establish a dynamic and participatory tool for open development