Digital Land Survey, Mapping On Cards

By Abela Msikula

TANZANIA is, from next year, set to adopt a new 'Geospatial Information Road Show' technology application, which serves, among others; proper land use arrangements and curb land-related

conflicts.

It will also ease all land survey and mapping activities, according to the Director of Survey and Mapping in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Mr Hamdouny Mansur.

Representing the Minister for Lands at a joint meeting that brought together Korean and Tanzanian land researchers and experts, in Dar es Salaam on Monday, Mr Mansur said about 26 towns of Tanzania will expectedly be surveyed and mapped in the coming three years using the technology.

"For over 30 years we have been conducting all those land and mapping activities on an outdated analogue technology.

Apart from delaying the process, curbing land conflicts was an issue, especially when double allocation of land comes in.

All those challenges are going to be solved through this new technology from the people of Korea," he noted.

He stressed through the use of such new technology, user and owner of every piece of land countrywide will be seen in the database and one can access the details wherever he or she is, inside or outside the country.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Tanzania, Mr Tae-ick Cho stated that a project of improving Tanzania's National Land Data Infrastructure by using Korea's geospatial information technologies was one of the four new projects included in the three-year (2028-2020) Framework Arrangements.

Tanzania, said the Korean envoy, was a fastgrowing economy as it had grown at an impressive rate of 6.6 per cent over the last 16 years, while reaching seven per cent growth rate at times.

This year's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate is going well at 7.2 per cent in the second quarter.

The Tanzanian government is steadfastly heading for the realisation of its National Development Vision 2025 to become middle income and semi-industrialised economy by the year 2025 by hugely and successfully investing in key areas crucial for national development such as infrastructure, manufacturing, agro-processing, education, ICT, water, electricity and healthcare.

Mr Tae-ick Cho was optimistic that the adoption of advanced land survey and mapping technology was crucial in achieving the country's development goals.

"These advanced technologies have a big potential to help Tanzania to achieve the Vision 2025 by allowing more efficient and land demarcation and spatial utilisation for industrial development.

"Such a big economic growth potential for Tanzania in the years to come will surely demand more Korean business know-how and affordable advanced technologies, including geospatial information know-how," he added.