Evaluating the quality of land information for peri-urban land-related decision-making: An empirical analysis from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Proper functioning land information (LI) plays an indispensable role in supporting land-related decision-making processes. In recognition to this, substantial efforts have been made in Ethiopia to develop and modernize land information both in urban and rural land administration sec-tors. However, in Ethiopia, the quality of the current land information (completeness, appropriate-ness, time, cost, development, governance, sharing, and so on) needed for making decision is scantly evidenced, whilst the particular aspects of how the current urban and rural land information systems are functioning in view of the needs of peri-urban land governance are rarely studied. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to evaluate the quality of the current land information sources for supporting peri-urban land-related decision-making. The research relied on both quantitative and qualitative data. Primary data were collected using questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGD), and interviews. The data collected using a closed-ended questionnaire was analyzed using descrip-tive statistics. The validity and consistency of the data were tested using Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient. The result signals that the quality of land information in the study area lacks responsiveness to support land-related decisions such as land use intervention and spatial management of peri-urban areas. The inefficiencies in the governance of land information and weak institutional efficiency prevailing in the different tiers of land administration institutions are the main causes. Furthermore, the variations in the governance of land information between urban and rural tiers of land administration institutions hamper data sharing, and it derives information redundancies and contradictions, which combined lead to ambiguous information use and reliance. The results further imply that the recordation of LI alone does not mean that it always supports decision making. When reasoning from the perspectives of the 8R framework of responsible land management, we conclude that the existing LI does not support many of the 8Rs. The researchers thus advocate responsive governance of land information and an alternative framework to embed effective land information for any peri-urban land decision making process.