Parcel-based Geo-Information System: Concepts and guidelines

Abstract

Topics on building and operating geo-information systems in an organisation environment have attracted me since the beginning of the 1970s.Late 1970 in the Republic of Yemen, I felt that there were real difficulties and challenges in organising and carrying out surveying and mapping tasks during my work in the Survey Department, especially with regard to land acquisition and registration.Yemeni society and the people stimulated me to manage the surveying tasks in line with their system thinking, enabling the jobs to be performed satisfactorily.At that time, I also thought that the jobs could be done effectively with the help of the computer.In 1991, when I was appointed assistant professor of multipurpose cadastre GIS at ITC, I met several people in the Netherlands, including the experts of Dutch Kadaster, who were really dedicated to the concepts of system thinking.Working closely with them stimulated me to choose my path towards system building for cadastral applications, using GIS techniques and software tools.In those days, Prof.mr.ir.J. L.G. Henssen used to discuss the registration of deeds and titles, as well as cadastral maps, with me, laying emphasis on automation and databases for cadastral information.Later on, I began to supervise the MSc research projects of ITC students (from many developing countries) relating to geo-information systems for cadastral applications.During consulting activities in Asia, Africa and Latin America, I also experienced many difficulties and challenges related to the institutional, legal, financial and technical aspects of setting up cadastral information systems.These problems and our students' research outputs motivated me to go further in researching the development of parcel-based geo-information systems.The issues related to land tenure security and economic development are complex and are deeply rooted in society.The use of modern Geo-ICT tools in the developing countries further complicates the operations of cadastral information systems, because of the lack of infrastructure and resources.Prof.ir.R. Groot supported me in starting this research, and later on Prof.ir.P. van der Molen encouraged me to complete this piece of research work.Completing the study took longer than intended.But my regular duties as director of studies, and such tasks as teaching, supervising students, consulting activities, writing papers and giving presentations at various conferences, contributed towards the success of this research.I hope the outcome will be useful to the land administration