Administrative data is vital for measuring effects from land policy and institutional reforms, but also to understand the impacts from recognition and formalization of land rights. As conflicts, mortgages and formal land transactions are limited in occurrence, a random household sample is often underpowered to capture changes in these key outcome variables. Geospatial data is becoming increasingly important as well to observe land use change. Land administrative data, combined with banking data and building permits, were key to measuring the impacts of the Land Administration Reform Activity policy and institutional reform, particularly in showing the effects on mortgages, land transfers, and first-time registrations. This data was also key in showing women’s participation. Administrative data and geospatial data can also be used in non-experimental impact evaluation design to ensure comparability of treatment and comparison groups. The World Bank reviewed administrative and geospatial data of the treatment and comparison wards to show the issues of comparability between these two groups. MCC land evaluations across the board have been restructured to incorporate administrative data and geospatial data into their analysis and future land evaluations are ensuring initial land evaluation designs include such data sources and analysis over the longer-term. In fact, a recent evaluation is using geospatial analysis and administrative data to help match treatment and comparisons.
Lesson Learned