Les observatoires fonciers en Afrique : un outil de gouvernance des territoires face aux réalités du terrain

Abstract

In Africa, although the first land observatory projects emerged at the end of the 1980s, it was from the mid-2000s onwards that they multiplied with the implementation of land observatories in Madagascar, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, but also, in South Africa, Uganda and Senegal. These land observatory projects, led by very different actors, aim to improve land governance for the benefit of better management of agricultural and natural areas and their interfaces. However, despite the high visibility and attractiveness of the concept, many land observatories do not manage to engage in effective information production and knowledge dissemination activities. This article aims to shed light on the main factors that explain the implementation gaps between projects on ‘paper’ and projects in the ‘field’, paying particular attention to the socio-economic and political constraints on access to, and production and sharing of data in the field of land.

Keywords

• Land observatories
• Informational issues
• Governance
• Territory
• Africa