FAO Pushes for Faster Digital Land Reforms in North Rift as Counties Showcase Progress

 

By Jael Maritim

 The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has called for accelerated digitization of land registries and urgent reforms in community land governance, as counties in Kenya's North Rift region reviewed ongoing land administration projects under the FAO-supported Cluster 3 digital land governance program.

The review meeting, held at the Uasin Gishu County Headquarters, brought together County Executive Committee (CEC) members, Chief Officers, and land officers from Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, and Turkana. It was chaired by FAO Programme Manager Ms. Husna Mbarak, who emphasized the need to fast-track the digitization of land records, particularly through the Ardhi Sasa platform, and address the longstanding challenges surrounding community land registration.

“Counties have made commendable progress in institutional capacity, but we must prioritize registry digitization through Ardhi Sasa and address the complexity of community land registration,” said Ms. Mbarak. “Community land remains one of the most underserved sectors in land governance, and FAO urges counties to intensify advocacy and resource mobilization to move these efforts forward.”

FAO has been supporting the counties with the establishment of land registries, GIS laboratories, capacity building for technical staff, and development of localized land policy frameworks. Ms. Mbarak reiterated FAO’s ongoing technical support to help counties navigate legal and operational challenges related to land adjudication, titling, and conflict resolution—especially in pastoralist and indigenous communities.

Uasin Gishu’s County Executive for Lands, Mr. Edward Sawe, acknowledged the transformative impact of FAO’s interventions. “With FAO’s support, we have enhanced our service delivery through modern GIS tools and better-trained personnel. The next step is deeper integration of digital systems and a stronger focus on community land management,” he said.

Echoing the need for coordinated efforts, Chief Officer for Lands Mr. Julius Koech highlighted the role of urban planning in land governance, calling for alignment between digital reforms and the ongoing implementation of the Integrated Development and Expansion Plan (IDEP) for Eldoret City.

“The IDEP is a visionary roadmap for Eldoret’s future, and we need partners like FAO and national agencies to come on board with both funding and technical expertise,” Mr. Koech added.

Representatives from other counties also weighed in. Evans Kipruto of the Council of Governors urged counties to work collaboratively and push for increased budgetary allocations to land departments. West Pokot CECM Esther Chelimo emphasized the need for public engagement and participatory frameworks, especially in marginalized communities. Elgeyo Marakwet’s Thomas Maiyo and Turkana’s Aletea Faith both pointed to the sensitive nature of communal land and the importance of conflict-sensitive approaches. Phanice Khatundi from Trans Nzoia called for harmonization of land policies across counties to avoid duplication and improve service delivery.

Participants agreed on several key resolutions, including:

• Scaling up digitization of land records through Ardhi Sasa
• Expediting community land mapping and registration
• Increasing inter-county collaboration and sharing of best practices
• Enhancing public awareness and civic education on land rights
• Supporting urban land policies in alignment with local development plans

The meeting concluded with renewed commitment from FAO and the counties to strengthen land tenure security, promote equitable access to land, and integrate digital innovations to modernize land governance systems.

FAO’s Land Governance Programme remains a critical partner in Kenya’s journey towards transparent, inclusive, and efficient land administration.