1. Coproduction of data and knowledge for the resolution
of land disputes in Myanmar:
lessons from an oil palm land use assessment
Regional Land Governance Forum
Bangkok, 29 May 2018
Dr. Joan Bastide
2. Initiative of the Government of Myanmar: 26 line agencies (from 11
Ministries and 3 City Councils)
Main objective:
Generate and share accurate land related (spatial) data through an online, open-
access database to support land management and land use planning
Financial support by: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Total duration: 8 Years (2015-2023)
Technical Assistance Implementing Agencies: Centre for Development
and Environment from University of Bern (Switzerland) & the Land
Core Group
OneMap Myanmar Factsheet
TheOneMapinitiative
3. Data is needed… But data alone is not enough
Knowledge
Navigating
trade-offs
(sectors and
scale)
Goal oriented
and equitable
decision
making
Sustainable
land
management
Data /
information
FromDatatoKnowledge
5. In Myanmar, the situation remains highly conflictual, and the level of
trust between key stakeholders remains low
One Perspective
One Source of Data
One Map
is not enough OneMap(S) ?
TheOneMapinitiative
8. Socio Economic
Environmental
Household Data
Concessions Data
Land use
assessment
Land use
planning and
land reallocation
Impact and quality
assessment of
investments in the
oil palm sector
Develop sectoral
policies/approach
for effective land
use, and
sustainable oil palm
industry
Legal and
Policy Review
Satellite Images
Ground Check
Concessions Inventory
Concession Boundaries
Data and
Information
Define objectives
Design questionnaires
Supervise surveys
Produce report
Define Policy,
Criteria, and
Process
Implement Data
Collection and
Verification. Use
participatory mapping
Dialogue. Policy
Formulation
Products and
Outputs
Quality Assessment
Report. Comprehensive
Data Platform. Land
Concession Database
Guidelines
Document
Maps, Fact Sheets, Policy
Briefs, Online Mapping
Tool
Consensus.
Decisions.
Involvement of
Multi-Stakeholders
Working Group
Requirements
Establishmentofmultistakeholder
Group
9. 1. General assessment of Oil Palm
plantations (all of Tanintharyi)
(incl. mapping of boundaries, planted
oil palm and basic context information -
profile matrix for each plantation)
2. More detailed assessment of
complete area of selected plantations
Detailed mapping (incl. drone) and
more detailed context information
3. Detailed field survey and assessment
for selected high priority areas and
selected issues within a plantation
Large area /
limited level of detail
Small area /
Very high level of detail
Multi-tiered approach
Selection
Selection
Plantation visit / interviews
& drone mapping
(3000-9000ac/day)
Detailed
interviews,
Transect walk
(< 10km/day)
Document scoping
& satellite based
mapping
Tanintharyi
>10 mio ac
(4-6 weeks) Categoryof
performance
Name/ownership
Permitinformation
Concessionboundary/
area
Plantationstatus
planted/cleared/milling
…
EIA/EMP
Communitydisputes
EnvironmentalImpacts
Landissues
…
1
2
3
4
14. Current land use Current land users
Tools for data validation and consensus building
Towardscoproduction
15. Unpacking the complexity of real-world situations
Challenges
Complex land legislation
Fragmented authority between
Agencies and committees
16. Drawing the line in the absence of an “objective” truth
Challenges
A negotiated effort
17.
18. Monitoring progress and outcomes
Acronyms:
ACM: Adaptive Co-Management
OMM: OneMap Myanmar
OPR: Oil Palm Review Tanintharyi
Source: Adapted from OneMap Myanmar (2017): Theory of Change
Challenges
19. Keeping the process alive
Challenges
• Government pulled between competing priorities
• Reluctance of certain departments and companies
• Civil society groups losing patience
• Competing views on the process
• Misunderstanding from local communities
• Dealing with the absence of formalized processes
• Ensuring synergies with other related initiatives (including
by participating agencies)
20. Results and conclusions
• Since the beginning of the process, a significant amount of land has been
(or is about to) reclaimed back from companies by the government.
• As part of the process, technical capacities have been introduced and
strengthened.
• Government agencies and companies have been incentivized to speed up
their actions
• Process has been adopted by other committees.
• Recommendation have not been followed by immediate actions.
• Stakeholders use parallel processes. Risks of confusion. (The MSG is one
platform amongst others).
• Complexity and heterogeneity of individual cases poses serious challenges
for fair resolution.
• Transparency, consistency and formalization of the process are important
• Need to move towards a more forward looking approach?
enabling a multistakeholder environment for the coproduction of data, information and knowledge for sustainable and equitable land governance in Myanmar
Knowledge product that address key relevant questions in a timely manner.
Processes and dialogues: what are the key issues, questions? We draft a new land law, we need clear information. What are the things we need to influence? Can we influence the paradigm of eradication of shifting cultivation, can we influence the vacant, fallow and vigin land ?
