The ministry of lands has embarked on a move that will ensure that all land in the country is digitally-registered.
The ministry, in collaboration with UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Makerere University, have chosen Kasese district as a pilot for developing a digitalized system for customary certificates of ownership (CCOs) to help reduce land disputes.
Recently, more than 457 landowners from Busongora, Maliba and Buhunga sub-counties received their CCOs from a database that now includes 4,633 people.
All CCOs were validated in the field and issued with an individual identifier and on watermarked paper.
Lands minister Betty Amongi said the constitution grants equal dignity and protection to customary and formal rights where 70 per cent of land in Uganda is held under undocumented customary law. Registration will help to identify who owns which land and where.
“The land law and land policy reinforce this and acquiring the CCOs is the first step for government to implement the law hence helping people who want to use the land for commercial purposes and reduce land conflicts,” Amongi said.
Amongi added that the pilot project in Kasese has demonstrated that implementation of CCOs is within reach in Uganda, opening the way for nationwide rollout.
“There will be need to support government to enforce this system in all districts to ensure that it adapts to the different circumstances and specific challenges that may arise,” she said.
Massimo Castiello, the FAO deputy country representative, said: “Demand for food production is high, population is increasing but land isn’t. We must ensure security of land to safeguard ourselves against hunger.”
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