New Report Provides Comprehensive Look at Land Data in Madagascar and Advocates for an Open Data Future

The Land Portal Foundation and the Open Data Charter have released the report State of Land Information in Madagascar: An Open Data Action Framework for Madagascar, shedding light on the state of the land data ecosystem in Madagascar. The report serves as a comprehensive diagnostic tool and guide, aiming to catalyze change and foster conversations about data transparency and land governance in Madagascar.

Key Highlights:

• Open Data Milestones: Madagascar through the Ministry of Territorial Planning and Land Services (MATSF) has made major gains in opening up land data and information with the establishment of the Observatoire du Territoire and the GEOPORTAL SILOAT, providing access to bibliography information on land laws as well as some land use and land development information.

• Openness of Land Data: Madagascar's land data is categorized as Slightly Open, indicating that progress is being made in opening up land data. Legal, institutional, and policy data show the most promise, being partially open, but urgent improvements in land tenure and land valuation data are needed. Land development and land use data is only slightly open and should also be improved upon.

• Land Data Interoperability: Partly as a result of the incomplete digitization and the complexity of land governance in Madagascar, land data is spread across a variety of government agencies each with its own expertise, role, and data management function. In addition, due to the inherent diffusion of land management functions, land data is fragmented with limited interoperability of data and limits on open publication.

• Legal Framework and Data Governance: Madagascar's has committed to several international instruments on access to information. National commitments include the 2010 Constitution, which establishes a right to information and the law on personal data protection, but Madagascar doesn't yet have an access to information law. 

The report's findings culminate into an open data action framework that offers a practical starting point for the Government of Madagascar to improve land data management and use. Key recommendations include streamlining data access, enhancing collaborations, and building capacities among stakeholders.

The report's authors believe that with the foundation already set by  the Ministère de l'Aménagement du Territoire et des Services Fonciers and the Observatoire du Territoire, Madagascar is poised to continue towards a more transparent and open data future. Adopting an Access to Information Law, inspired by the African Union's model, is highlighted as an excellent starting point.

Download the Executive Summary of the report here and the full report here.