By Fidel Boy Leon
In a region where land remains both an asset and a source of identity, innovation in land governance is no longer optional, it is urgent.
At the first-ever joint AGRC and EALAN Conference, held at Makerere University and Kabira Country Club, policymakers, scholars, and land professionals from across Eastern Africa gathered to shape a bold new future for land management, protection, and utilisation.
Hon. Judith Nabakooba, Uganda’s Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, officially opened the conference with a resounding call to action: embrace blockchain and cutting-edge technology to build transparent, secure, and citizen-centred land systems.
“We have prioritised the ongoing reforms in Uganda’s land administration systems… and we are now focusing on enhancing our systems through cutting-edge blockchain technology,” she said.
In her keynote address, Hon. Nabakooba emphasised that land is not merely real estate, but it is wealth, power, and a foundation for sustainable development.
Uganda’s push to expand its Land Information System (LIS) and embed blockchain into its land registry aims to eliminate corruption, secure records, and simplify transactions.
“Sustainable development fundamentally depends on effective land management and efficient geospatial data collection,” she noted. “Universities must train scientists who are agents of change, and research must generate evidence to guide national policies.”
The conference was hosted by Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) as part of its Chairmanship of the Eastern Africa Land Administration Network (EALAN).
Participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, and South Sudan took part in what Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Robert Wamala called a turning point for regional land management.
“Urbanisation, housing deficits, and informal settlements are pressing challenges. Makerere is investing in research on urban land governance, infrastructure development, and spatial planning to offer sustainable solutions,” Prof. Wamala said.
He urged attendees to move beyond academic theory and into policy impact, stressing that the partnerships formed at the conference must lead to actionable innovations that transform land administration.
Tanzania’s Dr. Upendo Matotola, Director of Real Estate at the Ministry of Lands, echoed the urgency in her powerful address. She argued that innovation must go beyond digital tools and focus on inclusive policies, community empowerment, and coordinated institutions.
“Land is more than a production tool… it is a source of identity, heritage, and power,” she stated.
“Without urgent reforms, land insecurity will continue to threaten peace, development, and investment.”
She called for harmonised, citizen-centred reforms across East Africa and emphasised the need to abandon outdated, paper-based systems that create inefficiencies and invite corruption.
In the days leading up to the main conference, pre-event workshops tackled core challenges in land governance, most notably through a session on Fit-for-Purpose Land Administration (FFPLA), a concept advocating for flexible, cost-effective, and scalable systems that can be rapidly implemented to meet the needs of growing populations.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Makerere’s Vice Chancellor, closed the FFPLA workshop with a challenge to academia:
“We must look beyond producing graduates. “Universities should advise the government and offer practical policy solutions to land management challenges.
He praised the Department of Geomatics and Land Management for their growing impact on land policy and urged them to continue generating research that guides real-world decisions.
The conference also featured thought leaders whose expertise bridged research and real-world application. Keynote speakers included Prof. Jaap Zevenbergen from the University of Twente (Netherlands), Prof. Timothy Dube of the University of the Western Cape (South Africa), Dr. Pamela Duran-Diaz (Netherlands), and Mr. Simon Peter Mwesigye of UN-Habitat.
Their presentations emphasised the importance of translating academic insights into actionable policies, turning dialogue into lasting development outcomes.
Each speaker reinforced the conference’s central theme: that Geo-Enablement and Innovation are no longer luxuries, but are non-negotiable for sustainable, secure, and inclusive land governance.
With sponsors like GIZ, UN-Habitat, and backing from Uganda’s Ministry of Lands, the 2025 Joint AGRC and EALAN Conference marks a milestone in the journey toward smart, transparent, and equitable land systems.