What is land titling

1
What is land titling?

• Land titling is the generic term used to describe
  programs implemented by the State to enable
  individuals and the State to efficiently trade in
  rights in land and property

2
Why title rights in land?

• Developing Countries A Simple Economic Model
• In most countries real estate constitutes between
  50 and 75 of national wealth.
• The lack of a formalised system to register
  rights in land significantly inhibits economic
  activity.
• Without a formal land registration system an
  informal land market develops.
• An informal land market operates in an
  environment of considerable uncertainty,
  discourages long term investment and can lead to
  resource degradation and social unrest.

3
Why title rights in land?

• Rationale of Land Titling
• Land Titling may be undertaken for a number of
  reasons
• Economic reform
• Social equity/reform
• Land consolidation
• Allocation of public land

4
Land Titling Activity Worldwide

• Status of Land Titling and Administration
  Projects
• Interest in land titling has grown markedly over
  the past decade.
• The World Bank currently has projects (at various
  stages) in over 30 countries.
• The Asian Development Bank has projects in 2
  countries.
• Other agencies have been active, including the
  FAO, EBRD, EEC, UNDP.

5
What does a land titling project look like

• Characteristics of Typical Projects
• Long term
• Operates in a complex institutional setting
• High level government contact
• High potential fiscal/social impact
• Generates linkages to all sectors (public,
  private and academia)

6

• PLUS
• INSTITUTIONAL RE ENGINEERING
• HR DEVELOPMENT
• FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
• COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND SERVICES

7
What does a land titling project look like?

• Typical Project Components
• Project management
• Policy formulation
• Land law
• Land title issuance
• Land registration
• Survey and Mapping
• Land records management
• Land and property valuation and taxation
• Land information systems
• Education and training

8
TLTP in Perspective

• Prepared in 1982/3, to alleviate rural poverty
• planned as a 20 year project to complete land
  titling throughout Thailand
• commenced in 1984, in 9 provinces
• initial emphasis in technical areas
• emphasis has shifted to broad institutional
  issues strategic planning, IT strategy, HRD,
  service delivery

9
TLTP in Perspective
Socio-economic studies have shown that

• Legal title is the most significant factor in
  explaining differences in land prices
• Land titles are generally related to the demand
  and supply of credit
• The project lead to an increase in cultivated
  areas
• The incidence of land transactions increased for
  titled land
• For titled lands, there was increased use of farm
  inputs such as seeds and chemical fertiliser
• The value of production per unit area and the
  yield per unit area are higher for titled lands

10
Conclusion
Factors that have contributed to success in
Thailand

• Twenty years prior investment by the World Bank
  in agriculture in Thailand
• Project is solely concerned with land titling
• Project has only one implementing agency
• The Department of Lands was well established
• Thailand has a long history of land titling,
  having introduced a title system in 1901
• Project activities are predominantly in the
  settled lowlands and in areas of little of not
  traditional land tenure
• The administrative procedures of the Department
  are very responsive to public demand
• Strong and sustained commitment

11
A Land Titling Project
Benefits of Land Titling

• Secure land tenure
• Reduction in land disputes
• More efficient land markets
• Increased land values
• Broadened tax base
• Information to support better resource allocation
  and management
• More equitable basis for compensation

12
Overview of Land Titling
The Economic Benefits of Land Titling

• Land titling or registration will increase
  productivity through increasing factor mobility
  (development of efficient land markets).
• Land titling will increase access to
  institutional credit.
• Land titling will encourage on-farm investments.
• Land titling will increase government revenue.

13
Overview of Land Titling
The Social Benefits of Land Titling

• Increased security
• Increased land prices
• Reduced land disputes/social tension