Valuing land tenure rights

Valuations of tenure rights are required by the State and by the private sector for a wide variety of reasons, often forming and informing the basis of transactions, taxation, compensation and accounting.

Value and the valuation process have a direct legal and financial impact on our everyday lives, and yet they are often shrouded in mystery and not clearly understood.

A number of technical guides have been prepared by technical specialists for the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations setting out principles and standards to assist stakeholders when establishing land tenure policy; the aim is to promote responsible governance and thus secure sustainable livelihoods, social stability, housing security, rural development, environmental protection, and sustainable social and economic development. This technical guide on valuation of tenure rights is aimed predominantly at developing countries, and is a set of recommendations for valuation that comply with international norms in relation to fairness, transparency, gender equality and free prior informed consent.

This research project was funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

Authors	Peter Wyatt