New FIG publication on Land Consolidation

In her forweword, chair of FIG Commission 8, Marije Louwsma writes: Land consolidation is a specialised land policy instrument, which has already been on the agenda within the FIG community for a long time. Each year there are papers submitted about land consolidation at the FIG Working Week or Congress. Now, we decided to bundle the available international experiences, insights, and knowledge into a FIG publication.  In view of climate change, sustainable land use and development is more urgent than ever. Land consolidation is a land policy instrument that can consider spatial developments in a coherent and comprehensive approach, integrating various sectoral policy domains. Water management, soil quality, environmental values, protected nature reserves, agricultural developments, infrastructure, cultural heritage, rural development can all be considered – at least their spatial component – in land consolidation projects.

This FIG publication aims to provide an overview of relevant topics for land consolidation practice, including different forms of land consolidation, public participation, valuation, developing the land consolidation plan, GIS tools and monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes. It seeks to find a level of detail that provides insights for responsible agencies and professionals involved in land consolidation.

Hopefully, this publication of commission 8 will inspire and support government agencies, decision makers and professionals to implement land consolidation projects and programmes in a sustainable, inclusive, and participatory way. The expertise of the surveyor can guide the application to enhance an inclusive, just, and fair reallocation process in various tenure systems and land administration traditions. As such, it complements existing publications about land consolidation such as FAO’s recent legal guide on land consolidation.

• Publication 79: Land Consolidation - The Fundamentals to Guide Practice
• Overview of all FIG Publications

Evelien Hertz
October 2022