CASE STUDY Improving Sustainability of Land Administration through Decentralized Service Provision: Evidence from Rwanda DANIEL ALI, KLAUS DEININGER AND MARGUERITE DUPONCHEL Summary: Recognizing that the impressive gains from comprehensive land tenure regularization may be short-lived if subsequent transactions are not registered, Rwanda has deployed close to 400 Sector Land Managers (SLMs) throughout the country. Regressions using LAIS data highlight that posting of SLMs increased levels of registered sales but not inheritance transactions and that, for agricultural land, having an SLM taken refresher training almost doubled this effect. A survey of all SLMs in April 2016 suggests that they are fully functional and in close contact with DLOs. More training (possibly via new channels), access to LAIS, and some office equipment (locking cabinets) could enhance performance. Time spent by SLMs on land administration, levels of transactions handled, and reasons for them to reject applications provide pointers for improvement. Fig. 1. Kigali and outskirt INTRODUCTION batches of recruitment, 367 of Rwanda’s 416 well as potential strategies for follow-up are Following successful nation-wide sectors counted with presence of a SLM who had presented below. implementation of Land Tenure Regularization received basic training and was sworn to be able to program with demarcation of over 11 million notarize transactions. Beyond provision of land parcels and issuance of some 7 million land titles related notary services, SLMs’ duties are to (i) SLM QUALIFICATIONS AND at low cost, sustainability has become a key implement the district’s strategies and programs on RECRUITMENT concern. Key activities to make progress in this land and infrastructure; (ii) avail necessary data for direction involved information campaigns and the issuance of land titles and constitute a database The average age of SLMs at the time of survey is deployment of sector land managers. Large of used and unused land; (iii) identify 31 years old (table 1). 18% of recruits are female. information campaigns (land weeks), were infrastructure facilities; (iv) follow up on activities All of them have bachelors in fields that include implemented in both 2014 and 2015 to raise related to infrastructure works; (v) implement the civil engineering (37%), geography (26%), awareness about specific land related issues, district habitat and community campaigns on surveying (9%) and urban planning, involving extensive television and radio coverage health and sanitation issues. To assess status and environmental studies, development studies (each as well as face-to face events. pinpoint potential bottlenecks that might prevent 6% of SLMs). Three quarters of SLMs have In parallel, and in line with broader efforts at SLMs from performing their tasks effectively, previous work experience, mostly as teachers decentralization, efforts were made to bring RNRA in collaboration with the World Bank’s (70%), but a number of them have also worked in services closer to clients by recruiting Sector research group launched a survey of all SLMs in the civil service and/or the land sector: 7% as staff Land Managers (SLMs). By end 2015, after three March/April 2016. Key results from this survey as in the district land office (23% of the SLMs in IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY OF LAND ADMINISTRATION THROUGH DECENTRALIZED SERVICE PROVISION Table 1: Basic characteristics of SLMs Peri- Total Kigali North South East West Urban Urban Rural Female 0.18 0.19 0.21 0.16 0.20 0.16 0.18 0.19 0.18 Age 31 31 31 32 31 30 31 33 31 Completed bachelor 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 … Urban planning 0.06 0.03 0.05 0.06 0.11 0.04 0.02 0.20 0.05 … Geography 0.26 0.26 0.21 0.22 0.29 0.33 0.26 0.40 0.24 … Civil engineering 0.37 0.55 0.37 0.27 0.30 0.49 0.48 0.23 0.37 … Surveying 0.09 0.06 0.19 0.03 0.07 0.06 0.05 0.09 0.10 … Environment Studies 0.06 0.03 0.02 0.14 0.07 0.04 0.07 0.00 0.07 … Development Studies 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.18 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.07 … Land Administration 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.01 … Other 0.09 0.06 0.13 0.09 0.13 0.03 0.13 0.03 0.09 Has worked in the past 0.73 0.84 0.77 0.79 0.59 0.71 0.76 0.92 0.70 … as a DLO staff 0.07 0.23 0.09 0.07 0.04 0.00 0.13 0.12 0.05 … as a civil servant 0.06 0.15 0.02 0.09 0.13 0.00 0.16 0.09 0.04 …as a teacher 0.70 0.54 0.61 0.72 0.62 0.93 0.64 0.52 0.75 … as a consultant 0.08 0.08 0.18 0.04 0.02 0.07 0.04 0.06 0.10 … as a field manager for RNRA 0.02 0.08 0.00 0.01 0.04 0.00 0.04 0.06 0.01 … as a GIS clerk for RNRA 0.08 0.12 0.09 0.04 0.09 0.07 0.04 0.15 0.07 Private sector work experience 0.40 0.62 0.32 0.41 0.44 0.36 0.45 0.45 0.38 Public sector work experience 0.75 0.58 0.82 0.81 0.71 0.69 0.70 0.76 0.76 Took an oath 0.99 0.97 1.00 1.00 0.97 1.00 0.98 1.00 0.99 Written exam test score (out of 50) 33.74 36.96 32.53 32.09 35.07 34.34 35.37 34.18 33.36 Oral exam test score (out of 50) 36.55 35.61 35.59 35.67 37.03 38.16 36.10 37.68 36.53 No. of obs. 366 31 86 89 76 83 62 36 267 Source: Own computation from 2016 World Bank/RNRA SLM survey Kigali); 6% as other civil servants in a land use, expropriation law, LAIS, and GIS, associated with right of emphyteusis (i.e. lease government office (15% in Kigali); 8% as GIS respectively. While this suggests scope for contract, the certification of registration and an extract clerks for RNRA during the LTR exercise; 2% improvement, it may also in part reflect the fact from the cadastral map). Moreover, 98% of SLMs are as field managers during the LTR roll out. that most SLMs lack access to LAIS. aware that as per the law agricultural land below 1ha Overall, out of those SLMs who are not fresh out Interestingly, demand for additional training is cannot be subdivided. of studies, 75% have previous experience in the high in all areas. To respond to such demand, Yet, the procedures to verify the legal owners of land public sector and 40% in the private sector (62% RNRA could explore non-traditional delivery parcels (through verification of current rightful owners in Kigali). SLMs’ test score on the recruitment mechanisms. via LAIS or the mobile phone service on *161#) for exam were 34 and 37 out of 50 for the written To test their level of legal knowledge, SLMs transactions or mortgages are not always known. About and oral parts. Almost all SLMs took an oath to were presented with a range of situations where 30% of SLMs, when presented with scenarios where allow them to act as notaries and sign they had to provide advice. Results in table 3 they had to verify the legitimacy of an application, transactions without intervention from the show that the training was successful in indicated that they would only verify names from the District Land Office (DLO). providing key elements of legal knowledge: 99% lease contracts or certificate of registration rather than To equip them with the knowledge needed to of SLMs are aware that parcels can have multiple enquire about the rightful owner and any other perform their tasks, RNRA developed a set of 8 owners with different associated shares of right. registered rights (e.g. mortgages or disputes) in the training modules focusing on land laws, notary 93% of SLMs quoted the right documents registry. Only 61% indicated that they would verify laws, land administration, land use, expropriation law, the Land Administration Information System (LAIS), and general GIS. Table 2: Training modules received and satisfaction With the possible exception of LAIS and GIS Land Notary Land Land Expropriation LAIS GIS law law admin use law training which was attended by 46% and 31% of Received 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.91 0.82 0.46 0.31 SLMs only, attendance was high (table 2). No. days 1.89 1.45 1.75 1.45 1.16 1.29 1.20 Satisfaction 0.92 0.95 0.98 0.72 0.63 0.35 0.29 SLMs rated each training regarding overall Clarity 0.99 0.98 0.99 0.89 0.84 0.59 0.55 satisfaction, clarity, usefulness and practicality. Usefulness 0.99 0.98 1.00 0.79 0.61 0.38 0.32 Practical use 0.94 0.95 0.99 0.78 0.57 0.36 0.26 Assessments were positive, especially for Had refresher 0.65 0.37 0.61 0.24 0.21 0.21 0.03 training on land and notary laws and land Wld like more 0.96 0.95 0.82 0.98 0.97 0.98 0.96 administration, with some variation: for No. of obs. 366 366 366 366 366 366 366 example, 72%, 62%, 35%, 29% of participating Source: Own computation from 2016 World Bank/RNRA SLM survey Note: Respondents were asked to ranks satisfaction, clarity, usefulness, and practical usefulness SLMs were satisfied or better by trainings on of the training on a sale of 1 to 5. Shares in the table relate to those who rated each category with 3 or above. DANIEL ALI, KLAUS DEININGER AND MARGUERITE DUPONCHEL Table 3: Legal knowledge Total Kigali North South East West Urban Peri-Urban Rural Verify owner via LAIS or *161# 0.61 0.65 0.57 0.54 0.65 0.69 0.55 0.67 0.62 Verify legal owner for mortgages 0.68 0.74 0.72 0.62 0.71 0.67 0.61 0.75 0.69 Documents for right of emphyteusis 0.93 0.90 0.98 0.92 0.89 0.94 0.92 0.97 0.93 Ownership shares 0.99 1.00 1.00 0.98 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.99 Subdivision for ag parcels <1ha 0.98 0.97 0.99 0.99 0.96 0.98 0.98 0.94 0.98 No. of obs. 366 31 86 89 76 83 62 36 267 Source: Own computation from 2016 World Bank/RNRA SLM survey Table 4: Working conditions Peri- Total Kigali North South East West Urban Urban Rural Single office 0.41 0.42 0.44 0.42 0.37 0.42 0.44 0.47 0.40 Office shared with 1 0.23 0.32 0.17 0.25 0.28 0.20 0.24 0.28 0.22 Office shared with 2 0.15 0.06 0.27 0.13 0.09 0.11 0.11 0.08 0.16 Office shared with > 2 0.21 0.19 0.12 0.20 0.26 0.27 0.21 0.17 0.21 Has a desk 0.77 0.97 0.60 0.87 0.68 0.84 0.87 0.86 0.73 Has a cabinet 0.42 0.61 0.37 0.55 0.28 0.41 0.58 0.44 0.39 … if yes wit lock 0.65 0.58 0.75 0.65 0.67 0.59 0.53 0.63 0.70 Has a computer 0.97 0.97 0.98 0.97 0.96 0.96 0.95 0.97 0.97 Is connected to the internet 0.16 0.52 0.08 0.18 0.13 0.12 0.34 0.19 0.12 Has an antivirus 0.24 0.52 0.15 0.31 0.17 0.19 0.39 0.31 0.19 Has a GPS 0.05 0.00 0.10 0.08 0.01 0.04 0.02 0.03 0.07 Has access to live LAIS 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.06 0.04 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.04 Has access to a copy of LAIS 0.30 0.07 0.20 0.37 0.30 0.42 0.39 0.28 0.28 … if yes, updated 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 Keeps a paper log book 0.82 0.74 0.81 0.89 0.63 0.96 0.90 0.67 0.82 … if yes, separate by transaction 0.36 0.29 0.48 0.58 0.12 0.25 0.18 0.39 0.40 Keeps an electronic log book 0.60 0.55 0.66 0.64 0.43 0.65 0.65 0.50 0.60 … if yes, separate by transaction 0.31 0.13 0.51 0.40 0.08 0.27 0.21 0.36 0.32 No. of obs. 366 31 86 89 76 83 62 36 267 Source: Own computation from 2016 World Bank/RNRA SLM survey ownership via the live SMS system. While additional person, more than a third share their DIFFERENCES IN RECORDED NUMBER training on this may help, access to LAIS, as office with at least two colleagues. Generally, OF TRANSACTIONS envisaged through a web service, could greatly urban offices are better equipped than rural help to ensure legality transactions. ones. On average, the number of cases handled by SLMs in the past six months was limited; the With 97%, almost all SLMs have a computer mean numbers per sector were 68 sales, 59 but only 16% are connected to the internet (one first time registrations, 17 ‘mortgages’, 7 WORKING CONDITIONS VARY third in urban vs. 16% in rural areas), and one subdivisions, 5 inheritance, 4 changes of fourth a working antivirus to protect software person, 3 expropriations, 2 conversions from Working conditions vary hugely depending on and data. Regional differences are striking: old to new tenure, and one exchange, merge, the provinces of posting and whether the sector unsurprisingly, Kigali is, with about half of the rectification of boundary, and caveat is located in an urban, peri-urban or rural areas, SLMs connected, well ahead, while only 8% respectively (see table 5). The fact that although it is important to emphasize that these have internet access in the North. With 3%, ‘mortgages’ are included in this list calls for might have changed since the time of data access to a live version of LAIS is extremely further scrutiny as normally Banks register collection (table 4). Almost a quarter of SLMs limited and instead CD copies of LAIS have mortgages with the Rwandan Development overall lack a desk, a figure that reaches 60% been given to about 30%. While these seem to Board (RDB) the database is directly linked to and 68% in the North and the East. Less than be rarely updated, log books to record the LAIS. The only cases where SLMs may half of the SLMs (42%) have a cabinet and transactions are widespread; 82% of SLMs need to be involved are if land parcels are lent drawers to store land documents and stamps (96% in the West, and 89% in the South) keep to be mortgaged by a third party and where a during land transfers, a rate that varies from a paper one although only about a third of these lending agreement signed by the SLM may be 61% in Kigali to 28% in the East. Of those who have separate books by type of transaction. required by the Bank or if such a lending have a cabinet with drawers, only 65% lock. Some 60% of SLMs keep an electronic log agreement is used by SACCOS who are not This may raise confidentiality and safety issues book to record transactions with about a third registered with the RDB who may use it along and the risk of documents/stamps going separated by type of transaction (8% in the with land documents as collateral. missing especially for the close to 60% of East, 13% in Kigali vs. 40% in the South and SLMs who do not have an office of their own One notes clear geographical difference 51% in the North). with; while 23 % share the office with one emerge in terms of the incidence of main 4 IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY OF LAND ADMINISTRATION THROUGH DECENTRALIZED SERVICE PROVISION 4 Table 5: SLM activities over the past 6 transactions (table 6). For all types except sub- where dissemination efforts may lead to quick months divisions, the number of transactions processed results. With the exception of subdivision and Cases per SLM by SLMs in Kigali is highest. Over the past 6 mortgages, lack of required documents is a key Sale 68 months, SLMs in Kigali recorded an average of reason for rejections for sales (58%), for Inheritance 5 280 sales, 81 first time registrations, and 14 inheritance (52%), for and for first time Exchange 1 Expropriation 3 inheritance cases. By comparison, outside Kigali, registration (85%) as well as the fact that required Subdivision 7 the number of registered sales cases over the same persons were missing to register the transaction is Merge 1 period ranges between 43 and 60 per sector, and also often stated as a reason for rejection (27% for Rectification of boundaries 1 ales, 46% for inheritance and 63% for the Mortgage 17 that for succession cases between 2 and 6. Seizure 0 registration of mortgages). Conflicts on the Caveat 1 This raises two issues that deserve more detailed parcels are also a relatively high causes of Sub lease 0 study. First, with some RWF 1,645,000 or USD Tenure conversion (old to new) 2 rejections in the case of succession (11%), while 2,116 per sector and month, SLMs in Kigali Tenure conversion (to freehold) 0 the fact that the transaction is illegal (most likely Change of Person 4 generate fee income that could be high enough to because of agricultural parcels below 1ha) is First Registration 59 cover variable cost, in line with global experience Transfer on Condominium 0 stated by 51% of SLMs who rejected a that even at low fee levels, land registries in urban No. of obs. 366 subdivision application. Unpaid land lease taxes areas, different from those in rural ones, can be Source: Own computation from 2016 World also appear as a hindrance for the validation of Bank/RNRA SLM survey self-sustaining. Second, given that land markets transfers in particular for sales (13% of SLMs in Rwanda are quite active, low numbers of having rejected at least a case state it as a main registered transfers outside Kigali and in rural reason). areas seem to point towards informality and further study of the levels involved and proximate causes will be desirable. For more frequent transactions and SLMs LAND ADMINISTRATION OCCUPIES PART reporting any rejections, the incidence is, with OF SLMS’ TIME 39%, 21%, 10% and 15% sales, first registration, subdivisions and succession, relatively high Knowing about SLMs’ time use is important for (table 6). Reasons for rejection as given by SLMs many reasons including budgeting and by transaction type in table 7 point towards areas management. In this context, it is relevant that, Fig. 2. SLM swearing in ceremony Table 6: Main activities by region and rates of rejection Peri- Total Kigali North South East West Urban Urban Rural Sales No. of cases 68 280 44 48 60 43 149 133 41 Any rejection 0.39 0.65 0.29 0.33 0.58 0.30 0.44 0.58 0.36 No. of rejection 8 11 3 10 8 6 13 9 6 Inheritance No. of cases 5 14 3 6 5 2 10 6 3 Any rejection 0.15 0.29 0.06 0.22 0.20 0.06 0.16 0.25 0.13 No. of rejection 3 5 2 3 4 3 6 2 3 Subdivision No. of cases 7 8 4 12 8 3 12 13 5 Any rejection 0.10 0.10 0.02 0.16 0.14 0.08 0.13 0.19 0.08 No. of rejection 7 13 6 8 5 3 11 4 6 First time registration No. of cases 59 81 37 58 58 77 73 89 52 Any rejection 0.21 0.10 0.14 0.21 0.26 0.25 0.15 0.19 0.22 No. of rejection 8 11 4 7 11 8 8 7 8 Mortgages No. of cases 17 24 15 19 9 22 20 26 15 Any rejection 0.10 0.13 0.05 0.12 0.12 0.08 0.16 0.17 0.07 No. of rejection 4 6 3 3 3 5 4 5 4 No. of obs. 366 31 86 89 76 83 62 36 267 Source: Own computation from 2016 World Bank/RNRA SLM survey DANIEL ALI, KLAUS DEININGER AND MARGUERITE DUPONCHEL 5 Table 7: Main reasons for SLMs to reject applications for different types of transactions Sales Inheritance Subdivision First time reg. Mortgage Missing person 0.27 0.46 0.03 0.05 0.63 Illegal transaction 0.12 0.04 0.51 0.05 0.14 Missing document 0.58 0.52 0.22 0.85 0.17 Document wrongly filled 0.10 0.11 0.19 0.05 0.09 Fees 0.04 0.00 0.14 0.07 0.03 Conflict 0.03 0.11 0.05 0.04 0.00 Unpaid lease tax 0.13 0.04 0.11 0.01 0.09 Other 0.18 0.04 0.11 0.05 0.26 No. obs. 143 54 37 75 35 Table 8: Share of SLM working time spent on different activities Peri- Total Kigali North South East West Urban Urban Rural Process land transactions 0.14 0.16 0.14 0.11 0.17 0.13 0.15 0.12 0.14 Other land administration work 0.12 0.15 0.14 0.07 0.16 0.12 0.13 0.12 0.12 Submit land transaction files to DLO 0.08 0.09 0.09 0.08 0.07 0.06 0.07 0.09 0.08 Planning/MP implementation 0.08 0.12 0.09 0.07 0.10 0.06 0.10 0.08 0.08 Construction permits & inspections 0.07 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.06 0.08 0.08 0.07 Settlement development 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.07 0.05 0.08 0.07 0.07 Infrastructure related 0.07 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.09 0.06 0.08 0.08 0.07 Energy related projects 0.07 0.06 0.08 0.07 0.10 0.05 0.10 0.08 0.07 Other activities 0.08 0.08 0.10 0.06 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.10 0.08 No. of obs. 366 31 86 89 76 83 62 36 267 Source: Own computation from 2016 World Bank/RNRA SLM survey based on time spent the week before the survey. Table 9: SLM communication within RNRA and local authorities Peri- Total Kigali North South East West Urban Urban Rural Panel A: Communication with RNRA officials Communicates with the DLO 0.99 1.00 0.99 0.99 0.99 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.99 … mainly using phone 0.79 0.68 0.80 0.73 0.88 0.81 0.82 0.67 0.80 … mainly using whatsapp 0.13 0.10 0.16 0.10 0.11 0.15 0.11 0.14 0.13 … mainly using facebook 0.04 0.16 0.01 0.06 0.00 0.04 0.02 0.14 0.03 Had a visit from the DLTR 0.11 0.13 0.08 0.10 0.07 0.18 0.23 0.19 0.07 Had a visit from RNRA officials 0.11 0.42 0.03 0.16 0.04 0.10 0.27 0.17 0.07 Panel B: Communication with RNRA officials Contacted Cell/Sector LC members 0.91 0.75 0.89 0.88 0.97 0.92 0.91 0.76 0.93 Knows Cell/Sector LC members 0.41 0.13 0.41 0.54 0.51 0.30 0.37 0.47 0.42 Provided training to local authority 0.52 0.45 0.65 0.39 0.66 0.40 0.47 0.53 0.52 … if yes to cell LC 0.99 0.93 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.99 … if yes to sector LC 0.77 0.07 0.89 0.86 0.74 0.82 0.66 0.63 0.81 … if yes to umudugudu leaders 0.27 0.00 0.04 0.17 0.58 0.42 0.48 0.26 0.23 Provided training to the public 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.16 0.02 0.18 0.06 0.01 No. of obs. 366 31 86 89 76 83 62 36 267 Source: Own computation from 2016 World Bank/RNRA SLM survey during a typical week and irrespective of whether plan implementation (12% in Kigali), and 7% rural areas. Communication with land committees they are assigned to rural, peri-urban or urban each on construction permits and inspections; at sector or cell level is comparatively less areas, some two thirds of their time was spent settlement development; infrastructure related frequent. While most SLMs contacted land performing activities that are not land projects; and energy related projects. committees, only 41% overall (and even fewer in administration related (table 8). With respect to Kigali) know their members and thus have a direct Table 9 summarizes results regarding SLMs’ land administration, about 14% is spent on channel of communication with them. Even communication patterns with superiors (panel transactions, 12 % on other land administration though they formally report to them, only about A) and clients (panel B). Panel A suggests that tasks, and 8% on submitting files to the DLO, half of SLMs (52%) provided training to local they actively communicate with DLOs, suggesting that finding ways to submit files authorities and, where this was the case, training mainly using phone but also social media. Not electronically could free up a considerable chunk was provided to land committees at cell (99%) or surprisingly in light of the higher cost and time of time for use on other activities such as sector (77%) level rather than umudugudu leaders requirements, actual visits by DLTR and dissemination. In addition to these activities, 8 % (27%), a share that varies widely across regions RNRA staff are less frequent, especially in of time is spent on land use planning and master (4% in the North vs. 58% in the East). With 5%, 6 IMPROVING SUSTAINABILITY OF LAND ADMINISTRATION THROUGH DECENTRALIZED SERVICE PROVISION Table 10: Determinants of registered transactions at cell level Agricultural land Residential land Sale Inheritance Sale Inheritance Sector land manager appointed 0.594** -0.081 0.896** -0.254 (0.251) (0.106) (0.425) (0.162) Female sector land manager -0.074 -0.001 -0.504 0.023 (0.337) (0.165) (0.414) (0.288) SLM knowledge 0.383 -0.077 -0.008 0.018 (0.287) (0.140) (0.376) (0.219) SLM had taken a refresher training 0.497** -0.170 0.034 -0.102 (0.248) (0.105) (0.396) (0.183) SLM previously worked at the DLO 0.316 -0.084 0.026 0.397 (0.969) (0.274) (1.473) (0.428) Sector covered by land week events -0.071 0.110* -0.046 0.104 (0.077) (0.061) (0.114) (0.111) Sector land manager * land week -0.038 0.030 -0.065 0.043 (0.270) (0.127) (0.326) (0.186) Kigali * 2015 2.120*** 0.390*** 4.794*** 0.534*** (0.534) (0.091) (0.866) (0.147) South * 2015 0.524*** -0.302*** 0.377* -0.622*** (0.162) (0.112) (0.208) (0.168) West * 2015 0.144 -0.144** 0.262 -0.295** (0.111) (0.056) (0.178) (0.135) North * 2015 0.735*** -0.391*** 0.160 -0.213 (0.157) (0.122) (0.185) (0.171) East * 2015 1.140*** -0.462*** 1.096*** -0.512*** (0.159) (0.083) (0.244) (0.126) No. of obs. (cell * quarter) 16,776 16,776 16,776 16,776 2 R 0.135 0.024 0.079 0.015 Note: Dependent variable is the no. of registered sale or inheritance transactions for each cell and quarter in 2014 and 2015 based on LAIS data. Regressions include cell fixed effects and constant (not reported). *** sig. at 1%; sig. at 5%; * sig. at 10%. the share SLMs who have reached out to the to control for all time-invariant attributes at cell sector covered by land week events, the public is very low, implying that the two land level. Results from doing so in table 10 suggest coefficient of which, though small (0.11) is weeks were very isolated events that were not that appointment of a SLM increases the number positive and significant at 10% for agricultural integrated into a more comprehensive of registered sales transactions for residential and land. While this implies that registration of communication strategy. Although this is agricultural land by 0.89 and 0.59, respectively. non-monetary transactions does respond to understandable as long as SLM’s themselves lack A dummy for having a female SLM is outside influences, it suggests that greater awareness, there is clearly ample scope for insignificant, indicating no differences in this attention to this type of transactions may be improvement in the future, possibly by using respect between female and male SLMs. While useful, both in terms of SLM training and in feedback from local authorities as one of the neither the SLM’s knowledge of how to find out trying to identify if other non-SLM related factors for SLMs’ performance assessment. the rightful owner via SMS no previous work barriers to registration of such transactions experience in RNRA have any impact, having a may warrant attention. Establishment of SLM who took a refresher training is estimated feedback channels and conduct of similar OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF SLMS to increase the number of registered sales SLM surveys, possibly via mobile platforms, transactions of agricultural land by 0.5 but have at regular intervals (e.g. every 12 months), no impact on residential land. could provide an important tool for RNRA to Availability of LAIS data at cell level allows us to systematically identify issues and gauge exploit variation in the time of SLM placement Compared to the significant impact of having a improvement. and their qualification to assess whether having an SLM on registration of land sales, neither SLM SLM in pace affected the number of registered presence nor any of the other variables have any monetary (sales) or non-monetary (inheritances impact on registration of non-monetary transfers and gifts) transactions. Cell fixed effects are used with the possible exception of having had the Photo credit: Marguerite Duponchel & This case study was prepared by a team from the Development Economics Research of the World Bank RNRA in collaboration with the Rwanda Natural Resources Authority. The UK Department for International Development, the Bank Netherlands Partnership Program and the International Growth Centre provided generous financial support. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Government of Rwanda, and of the World Bank and its affiliated organizations, or those of the Executive Directors of the World Bank or the governments they represent.