Advancing Land Administration Systems Design – Key Parameters Driven from Global Initiatives

Abstract

© 2025 Fatemeh Jahani ChehrehbarghLand Administration Systems (LASs) are integral to economic stability, social equity, and environmental sustainability. They enable efficient land governance by recording rights, restrictions, and responsibilities (RRRs), thereby facilitating transactions, preventing conflicts, and promoting sustainable management. The Land Administration Domain Model (LADM), an ISO standard, provides a foundational framework for developing LASs, offering flexibility and alignment with international land governance initiatives. However, LADM requires extension to integrate critical parameters such as indigenous rights, informal rights, women’s rights, and valuation, which are essential for addressing contemporary global challenges and aligning with frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Framework for Effective Land Administration (FELA), and the New Urban Agenda (NUA). This research presents a comprehensive framework for modernizing LAS through the extension of the LADM. The study addresses a critical gap in current land administration practices by developing a systematic approach to incorporating parameters derived from global initiatives. This work is particularly significant given that between 2011 and 2018, only 25.4% of adults in 33 surveyed countries possessed legally recognized land documentation, highlighting the urgent need for more inclusive and effective land administration systems. The research methodology adopts a multi-phase approach, beginning with an extensive document analysis of ten prominent global initiatives, including the SDGs, FELA, NUA, Fit-for-Purpose Land Administration (FFP-LA), and Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT). This analysis reveals critical parameters that modern land administration systems must address. The extracted parameters are systematically categorized into governance, operational environment, and sustainability dimensions, providing a structured framework for understanding contemporary land administration requirements. The governance dimension encompasses legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, and policy mechanisms, while the operational environment focuses on technical infrastructure and system functionality. The sustainability dimension addresses economic, social, and environmental considerations essential for long-term system viability. Using Indonesia as a case study, the research employs the Digital Government Readiness Assessment (DGRA) framework to systematically evaluate current land administration challenges. This analysis uncovers significant issues, including regulatory gaps, inefficient registration processes, and resource constraints. With approximately 126 million land parcels and a high number of unmapped land titles, Indonesia provides an ideal context for studying the challenges faced by developing nations in modernizing their land administration systems. The findings provide valuable insights into the practical challenges of implementing modern land administration systems in developing countries and inform the development of the extended LADM. The research then progresses through conceptual and logical model development phases, where the identified parameters are integrated into an extended LADM framework. This extension introduces new data elements and relationships that enhance LADM's capacity to address contemporary challenges in land administration. The model includes specific attributes for gender-sensitive land rights management, indigenous land rights documentation, and informal settlement registration. Special attention is paid to maintaining the model's core structure and principles while introducing these new elements. The extension also addresses valuation and taxation aspects, introducing comprehensive frameworks for managing these critical components of land administration. The technical implementation is accomplished through PostgreSQL with PostGIS extension, enabling the management of both spatial and non-spatial data within a unified framework. This implementation phase involved several key steps, including the conversion of UML diagrams to DDL specifications, the refinement of database relationships, and the development of complex queries to validate system functionality. The implementation demonstrates how theoretical concepts can be successfully translated into practical, functioning systems while maintaining data integrity and system performance. To validate the practical applicability of the extended model, the research demonstrates its implementation through a series of complex queries and real-world scenarios. These include analyzing gender-based land ownership patterns, mapping indigenous land rights, and managing informal settlements. The validation process includes specific test cases, such as identifying women-owned parcels by their NIB (Land Parcel Identification Number) and analyzing the spatial distribution of indigenous land rights within a 25-meter radius of selected parcels. These tests confirm the model's enhanced capabilities in handling diverse land rights and governance practices while maintaining data integrity and system performance. Key contributions include the development of a comprehensive methodology for identifying and incorporating global parameters into land administration frameworks. This methodology provides a structured approach to ensuring that land administration systems remain aligned with evolving international standards and best practices while maintaining their effectiveness at the local level. The extension of LADM to address previously underrepresented aspects of land administration represents a significant advancement in land administration modeling, demonstrating how traditional models can be adapted to address contemporary social and cultural considerations while maintaining their technical rigor. The research also provides valuable guidance for implementing modern land administration systems, particularly in developing countries facing similar challenges to Indonesia. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of considering social, cultural, and environmental factors in land administration system design. The integration of these considerations into technical frameworks represents a significant evolution in land administration thinking, moving beyond purely technical solutions to address broader societal needs. This holistic approach ensures that land administration systems not only function efficiently but also serve the diverse needs of all stakeholders, particularly marginalized communities. Future research directions are identified, including the integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, the development of 3D cadasters, and the exploration of cross-jurisdictional implementations. Beyond technological advancements, emphasis should be placed on strengthening governance frameworks to ensure transparency, equity, and inclusion, as well as developing adaptable land-use policies that address socio-economic changes and climate resilience. These directions underscore the dynamic nature of land administration and the necessity for continuous adaptation to global challenges and opportunities. Furthermore, ongoing monitoring and evaluation are essential to ensure that land administration systems remain responsive to evolving societal needs, environmental pressures, and technological advancements. Emphasis could be placed on strengthening governance frameworks to ensure transparency, equity, and inclusion, alongside developing adaptable land-use policies that address socio-economic changes and climate resilience. These directions indicate the dynamic nature of land administration and the need for continuous adaptation to emerging challenges and opportunities. The research also highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that land administration systems continue to meet evolving societal needs and technological capabilities