Land Use Planning

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As human beings we have multiple claims to land and its resources: agriculture, housing, industry, protected areas, roads or waste disposal sites result from decisions that assign certain functions to space, whether we are aware of it or not. Due to the related conflicts which often arise, institutions for decision-making have developed: based on certain norms, government administrations or important actors who co-operate informally are steering the decision-making process.

As an instrument of technical cooperation, Land Use Planning (LUP) aims at the definition of decisions on a sustainable form of land use in rural areas. The planning process includes land evaluation and zoning, socio-economic and institutional aspects. All important stakeholders (persons, groups, or organisations) participate in the process, and local knowledge is made use of as an important source of information. Traditional problem-solving and conflict-solving strategies help to mediate conflicting interests. The resulting plan is finally implemented by the target groups with support from leading agencies such as government or regional development agencies. Key principles of LUP are its emphasis on self-help and empowerment, transparency and a gender specific perspective.

As a working tool, Land Use Planning is used in the following types of projects:

• resources management (e.g. forestry, watershed development)

• pasture management

• rural regional development

• community support and village development

• government consultation (environmental strategy planning, agricultural sector planning, development planning, assessment of land potential).

In which cases will LUP be the appropriate problem-solving instrument? The following check list will help you to identify this. It is appropriate to apply land use planning if:

• negotiation is required between short and medium term economic objectives on the one hand and the interests of land resources management on the other, as well if positive economic effects can be expected in the long run as a result of this negotiation process;

• land use conflicts are to be avoided or settled in connection with competing stakes concerning land use and with an unclear land right situation, or if mediation is necessary

• natural resources are to be protected and rehabilitated by

1. planning sustainable land use systems,

2. implementing national and regional objectives related to the protection of resources which have priority,

3. setting up biological reserves and conservation areas,

4. monitoring changes in land use to serve the national resources planning,

5. assessment and identification of the intervention zones and areas for development projects,

6. planning infrastructural measures such as road-building or irrigation projects aiming at conserving land resources

• unexplored land use potential has to be identified and evaluated;

• existing land use has to be optimised;

• the objective is to create environmental awareness among the people as well as the authorities;

• sectoral and national development plans have to be harmonised with the plans of different stakeholder groups also considering the land potential;

• new settlement areas are to be planned and divided into plots.

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More of Land Use Planning

• Multiple Functions of Land

• Land Evaluation

• Zoning

• Stakeholders

• LUP - General Conditions for Success

• Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Documents
For further details on the approach, its principles, strategies and tools, please consult Land Use Planning, GTZ 1999 (pdf-file, 2,56 mb, 212 S.)

Case studies
Land Use Planning Experiences from Asia, GTZ 1996 (pdf-file, 3,73 mb, 102 S.)

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