The Vacant Land Mapping (VLM) initiative, implemented under the Livelihoods Improvement of Urban Poor Communities Project (LIUPCP) led by the Local Government Division (LGD) of Bangladesh in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aimed to enhance urban resilience and improve land tenure security for the urban poor. Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom, this project focused on documenting and analyzing vacant lands across five urban centers: Narayanganj City Corporation, Chandpur Municipality, Noakhali Municipality, Gopalganj Municipality, and Kushtia Municipality.

The primary objective of the VLM initiative was to develop a comprehensive repository of vacant land information to support the formulation of a Land Tenure Action Plan (LTAP). This plan aimed to ensure secure land tenure for urban poor communities, enable pro-poor urban development strategies, and improve disaster risk reduction efforts. The mapping exercise also sought to facilitate housing solutions, economic development opportunities, and policy advocacy for vulnerable urban populations.

Specific objectives of the vacant land mapping included:

• To create a comprehensive inventory of vacant lands across cities and municipalities.
• To raise awareness among city stakeholders about the existence, availability, and potential of vacant lands for pro-poor purposes, with a focus on enhancing land tenure security for urban poor communities.
• To provide accessible information about vacant lands to settlements facing eviction risks, exposure to climate hazards, or high vulnerability, enabling immediate relocation or resettlement where needed.
• To analyze and assess the appropriateness and suitability of vacant lands for housing urban poor communities, using an analytical approach to inform strategies for building climate resilience and reducing urban poverty.
• To support practical advocacy efforts that can facilitate relocation processes and contribute to vulnerability reduction among affected communities.

DM WATCH LIMITED team leveraged a participatory and community-led approach to identify and analyze land characteristics, including legal status, ownership, accessibility, and suitability for various uses. By involving city-level stakeholders such as mayors, councillors, local government officials, and community leaders, the project fostered collaborative decision-making and urban governance improvements.

The mapping process integrated advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, comprehensive field surveys, and participatory workshops to produce Ward- and city-level maps. These outputs provided actionable insights for urban planning, disaster management, and the enhancement of pro-poor urban policies. Ultimately, the project contributed to improving the livelihoods and living conditions of urban poor communities while promoting equitable access to resources.

Key Highlights of the Assignment

DM WATCH LIMITED implemented the Vacant Land Mapping (VLM) initiative through a structured, multi-phased approach, delivering the following key services:

Inception and Preparatory Phase

• Conducted extensive desk reviews of relevant documents, including municipal master plans, land use policies, and legal frameworks.
• Held planning and coordination meetings with UNDP, LGD, and municipal stakeholders to finalize project objectives, scope, and methodologies.
• Prepared and submitted a comprehensive inception report detailing the work plan, data collection tools, and GIS mapping framework.
• Collected up-to-date base maps and Mouza maps.
• Acquired the latest available satellite images.
• Prepared Ward-level maps for surveys, with base maps overlaid on satellite images for using in workshops and field activities.
• Developed and refined data collection tools, including questionnaires and GIS templates, in consultation with stakeholders.

Data Collection Phase

• Organized city-level consultation workshops with mayors, councillors, and local government officials to introduce the VLM methodology and objectives.
• Conducted participatory workshops at the Ward level (39 Wards in three cities) to identify and characterize vacant lands, engaging community facilitators and local land surveyors.
• Conducted the demarcation, data collection, and validation of vacant land boundaries, digitized and cleaned shapefiles, and organized the data to generate Ward-level and city-level vacant land maps using GIS.
• Carried out field surveys using digital tools and GPS devices to collect quantitative and qualitative data on vacant lands.
• Verified land characteristics through on-site inspections, legal document reviews, and stakeholder consultations.

Data Processing and Analysis

• Cleaned, coded, and processed survey data using advanced statistical tools like SPSS and GIS software.
• Analyzed land characteristics such as ownership, accessibility, and environmental suitability to identify their potential for development and disaster resilience.
• Developed GIS-based Ward- and city-level maps, incorporating spatial analysis and demographic overlays to support decision-making.

Reporting and Dissemination

• Prepared city-specific reports highlighting vacant land inventories, usage trends, and actionable recommendations.
• Organized result-sharing workshops at the city level to present findings and gather feedback from municipal stakeholders.
• Submitted a final dataset, including GIS shapefiles, maps, and analytical reports, to support the development of a Land Tenure Action Plan (LTAP).

Deliverables

• Comprehensive inception report with work plan and tools.
• Report on Ward-level workshops
• GIS-based Ward- and city-level vacant land maps and datasets.
• City-specific analytical reports detailing vacant land characteristics and development potential.
• Final assignment completion report summarizing findings and recommendations.

This assignment demonstrated DM WATCH LIMITED’s expertise in implementing large-scale urban assessments, employing participatory methodologies, and leveraging GIS-based tools to produce actionable insights for urban resilience and pro-poor development strategies.