The contribution of GIS to local authority management

Land is a structuring element with multidimensional issues. It is intrinsically linked to the land, and through its relationship with the other natural resources in the area and the relationships it fosters between people, land is a determining social factor. As such, it is the product of social relationships and is administered according to the rules and customs of the community that uses it. In Senegal, particularly in rural areas, there is a legal duality when it comes to land management. Positive law is often grafted onto so-called customary law, which creates real difficulties in land management by local authorities. These authorities, which do not have the appropriate tools to resolve land conflicts and problems, quickly find themselves limited. Ndiaffate is no exception to these obstacles, which affect practically every local council in the country, particularly the new communes. This report therefore aims to overcome the difficulties encountered in land management in Ndiaffate by setting up a Geographical Information System called Urba’Sif.