HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES

SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
DEPARTMENT OF GIS
INTERNSHIP REPORT ON LAND REGISTRATION AND
CERTIFICATION PROCESS

Host Organization : Amhara Peoples National Regional State Land

Holding Registration And Certification Agency Of West Gondar Zone
In West Armachiho Woreda

Prepared By : Ehenew Gete (ID Number : 0903/13)

Hramaya University,Ethiopia
Dec 04 2023
 Acknowledgement
First of all, thanks my almighty God for everything and I would like to thank Amhara Peoples National
Regional State Land Holding Registration and Certification Agency of West Gondar Zone In West
Armachiho woreda employees, operators, stakeholders and the host organization, for their warm
welcome and experience sharing during my internship program and my advisors Mr. Fikadu Abay And
Mr. Mekuant who contributed their valuable and constructive comments during my Internship.

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 Abstract

Historically, Ethiopians had no security on their land and property as it is taken as one reason for the
backwardness and poverty. Registration of holdings and granting land use-right certificates to holders
have recently become a government policy in Ethiopia. Land registration is the recording of rights and
interest in land as evidence by instruments. Instruments could be registered include lease,sub lease,
conveyance, assignments, mortgagors, gifts, tenancy agreements probate and wills, letters of
administrations, vesting assets, statutory declarations, power of attorney etc. in relation to land.

The internship also includes the background and description of the internship site, opportunities and
challenges what we have observed at the organization from different viewpoint and the
recommendation taken to overcome the existing problems.The objectives of formal land registration and
certification is to improving tenure security, reduces land related disputes, provides the government
with the system to collect tax from the land, helps to facilitate the credit services to the owners to be
highly productive and be engaged in additional developmental activities.

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 Table Of Content

1. Introduction·····································································································- 1 -
1.1 Background of the study·················································································- 1 -
1.2 Background of the organization········································································- 1 -
1.3 Objective of the Internship··············································································- 4 -
1.4 The Major activities performed in the organization··················································- 5 -
1.5 Significance of the study·················································································- 5 -
1.6 Scope of the study························································································- 6 -
1.7 Limitation of the study···················································································- 6 -
2. Materials and Methodology··················································································- 6 -
2.1 Description of the study area············································································- 6 -
2.2 Methods and approaches used··········································································- 8 -
2.3 Materials and Facilities used············································································- 8 -
2.4 Sources of data used······················································································- 9 -
3. Internship activities and discussions·······································································- 9 -
3.1 Rural landholding registration··········································································- 9 -
3.2 Project achievement·····················································································- 10 -
3.3 The inputs used in the work office····································································- 10 -
3.4 Experience gained from the internship·······························································- 10 -
4. Land registration and documentation····································································- 11 -
4.1 Introduction to land registration·······································································- 11 -
4.2 Steps in land registration and certification···························································- 12 -
4.3 Land information system···············································································- 16 -
5. Conclusion and Recommendation·········································································- 17 -
5.1 Conclusion·······························································································- 17 -
5.2 Recommendation························································································- 17 -
Reference··········································································································- 17 -
Appendix··········································································································- 18 -

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 1. Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

Land is a key resource and the roots of economic growth for a certain country like Ethiopia in which
encompasses other natural and man made resources, such as forest, mineral, building and other
infrastructures (USAID, 2007). Land registration and certification is used by many countries as a tool to
enhance tenure security, facilitate land market transactions, and enable better land administration,
taxation and land-use planning. It is a process of official recording of rights in land through deeds or as
title on properties. It gives an answer to the question “who” and “how”. In Ethiopia, there has never
been a system of systematic rural land registration. Registration of landholdings and granting land use
certificates to holders has recently become government policy in Ethiopia. During the Imperial regime
before 1974, landowners registered the size of all their plots of land, using local units of measurement,
to enable tax collection. Land transactions and agreements over land use were generally not registered
using written documents, but were confirmed in the presence of witnesses. After the land reform of
1974, the newly established lower administrative structures (peasant associations) were given the power
of land registration within the boundary of the area which they were responsible. The land registry listed
the names of all peasant association members entitled to user rights over land, an estimation of the area
and quality, the number of parcels and approximate location of landholdings. Only where land disputes
arose, characteristics like boundaries and locations are mentioned in documents (e.gs. at local courts).
The information collected in the registry was themselves, except for the tax receipts. Since 1991, lands
continue to remain state property and the local administrations in rural kebeles continue to manage land
issues. In the process of land registration, communal lands, forest and grazing areas will also be
delineated, registered and certified.

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 1.2 Background of the organization

Amahara Peoples National Regional State Land Holding Registration and Certification Agency of West Gondar
Zone in West Armachiho Woreda is found in Amhara city and it gives the service for the community that live in
Amhara Region. This institution also creates the job opportunity for many professionals and experts such as,
surveyors, GIS experts, property valuation experts (appraiser). The organization in my study area specialy in west
Gondar zone in west Armachiho woreda have 84 Employers/Experts whom of 35 are females and 49 are males,
and divided into several groups which have different tasks and responsibilities. The organization have a
computers, handel GPS, scanner, plotter, tape etc.

Goal
To improve the living condition of the community by building a Modern land management system in the
woreda, solving land Related issues and ensuring equitable land use. In heriting undamaged land for
future generation.
Mission
Create a modern and a highly productive system that uses a more advanced technology to register land
in modern way, which means it registers the land in easy way.
1.2.3 Vision
 To create modern land registration and certification to in this woreda.
 To minimize conflict between peoples based on land registration or land holding.
1.2.4 Value
 Professional Competence
 Objectivity or impartiality
 Benevolence
 Team Work

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 1.2.5 SWOT Analysis
Strength
 The institution has some positive internal factors and strengths.
 Experts, who works in the organizations, have politely and honestly give service to the
community.
 The experts also work by the group and create the coordination in order to resolve the challenge.
 Some staff workers are punctual, Respect and accepts diversity.
 Create awareness about land registration to the community.
 The institution also give quick response for the customers as much as possible.
 The organization also have good preservation of manual and document file for prolonged time.
 Weakness
 The institution also some negative internal factor and weakness that restrict the organization
fully operation its duty, such weakness includes
 Some experts, who work in the organization, have not enough knowledge and skills.
 The organizations also have not enough digital and modern equipment such as, computer, total
station, differential GPS etc.
 Due to the shortage of digital instruments some document files still are not converted from
analog in to digital form.
 Some experts, who work in the organization, do not have good work ethics and work habit.
 The institution also has not enough transportation service in case some experts also did not arrive
on time due to the shortage of transportation.
Opportunity
The host organization also get some positive effect from the surrounding (external factor) from different
perspective, such as
 To fulfill different digital material from the other organization.
 The organization equipment also preserved and protected by the community from destruction.
 To increase its honesty for the customers and to enhance its service for Amhara Region in West
Armachiho woreda community.
 To eradicate the conflict related with land and immovable properties
Threats

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The host organization also may be disturbed its operations in the future by the following conditions,
such as,
 Lack of enough budget and economic constraint.
 The organization threatened by a material problem and man power

1.2.6 Structure of the organization

Amhara Peoples National Regional State Land Holding

Registration and Certification Agency

Supervisor of Group Leader of Member of land

land Registration land Registration registration and
and Certification and Certification certificate map

 Supervisor of land Registration and Certification: He/She accepts the relevant data from member of
land registration and transfer to the leader of land registration.
 Group Leader of land Registration and Certification: He/She accepts the relevant data and prepare
certificate map.
 Member of land registration and certificate map: He/She inputs and enter the data for the supervisor
land Registration and Certification.

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 1.2.7 Human Resource

No Male Female Total Educational

Status
1 20 17 37 Bsc

2 29 18 47 Dip

3 49 35 84

1.3 Objective of the Internship

1.3.1 General Objective

 The general objective of the internship is to understand land registration and land certification
practically that we have learned in theory.

 1.3.2 Specific Objective

 To assesses land registration and documentation in Amhara Region specialy in west armachiho
woreda.
 To identify working rules, regulations and procedures of the host institution in the study area.
 To understand the working structure and work flow of the given host institution.
 To get more knowledge and more experience in the area of land registration and certification

1.4 The Major activities performed in the organization

Amhara Peoples National Land Holding Registration and Certification Agency of west Gondar zone in
west Armachiho woreda performs different activities to improve the livelihood rural societies and also
improve home construction and other activities. The major activities performed in this organization are:
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  Identify major problems and solve the issues in the office by organized committee.
 Register the transfer of land from one owner to another as the directive permits.
 Land administration and Environmental Protection by the help of cadastral surveying.
 Local governments and communities are registered right holders for communal and state lands.
 The local government are exercises land registration and certification supported by cadaster
survey.
 Working on the problem of clear boundary demarcation between the landholders in the city.
 Field data collection.

1.5 Significance of the study

The importance of this internship is to learn how the theoretical knowledge and skill applied to the real-
world situation, to provide a link between academic learning and professional employment, to build
valuable experience that makes them stronger candidates for job after graduation, to develop essential
knowledge and skills increases chances of getting hired, and to offer as with hands on opportunity to
work in their desired fields.

1.6 Scope of the study

This study would focus only on Rural land registration and certification process. The study takes
place in amhara Region state in west armachiho woreda. west armachiho woreda in amhara Region was
the selected as a case study area by my advisors.Me considered only the practice of Rural land
registration in my study area.

1.7 Limitation of the study

During the time of my internship, I encountered some limitation, such as limited time period of
internship, lack of skilled experts to assist us in the organization during my internship, there is also lack
transport, supervisor to closely assist us during the field works and the big obstacle during our internship
was budget constraint.

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 2. Materials and Methodology

2.1 Description of the study area

The Amhara Region officially the Amhara People's National Regional State is a regional state in
Northern Ethiopia, covering the homeland of the Amhara people. Formerly named Region 3, its capital
is Bahir Dar, and the region covers the city and its immediate surroundings. Amhara Region is the
second largest regional state in Ethiopia in both land area and population. Amharic is the official
languages of the region. The region was created by many different woredas and Zones. As a result,
Amhara Region is bordered by Oromia,Tigray Afar,Benshangul Gumuz Region. Bahir Dar is the capital
city of Amhara Region. This city is the center of investment area like Lake Tana and other beautiful
areas. In this region there are many ancient cities/towns that are the center of investment used for the
source of many Income for our country like Tana Monastery, Gondar-Fasiledes ,lalibela-Lalibela
churchs, Debretabor-Religious holiday etc.
In my special study area in West Gondar zone West Armachiho woreda /Abrhajira/ is one part of
Amhara region that located in Northwestern Ethiopia.This woreda is named after "Armachiho", a
province in northwestern Ethiopia along the border with Sudan and south of theTekezé River.Located at
the northwestern point of theSemien Gondar Zone, Mirab Armachiho is bordered on the south by
Metemma, on the west by Sudan, on the north by the Wolkait Tegede Woreda, on the northeast by
Tegeda, and on the east byTach Armachiho. Towns in Mirab Armachiho include Abderafi. Mirab
Armachiho was part of former Sanja woreda. This woreda is 928 km from the capital city of Addis
Abeba. In this woreda many investors are invest their investment in Agricultural activitiy.The
agriculture products in this woreda like Selit,Akuri Ater,sorghum cotton etc.

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 Figure 1: Map of Study Area

2.1.1 Population of Study Area

Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this
woreda has a total population of 31,730, of whom 17,400 are men and 14,330 women; 15,075 or 47.5%
are rural inhabitants. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with
88.5% reporting that as their religion, while 11.4% of the population said they were Muslim.

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2.1.2 Climate of Study Area

West Gondar in West Armachiho woreda has a tropical climate with a wet season from June to
September and a dry season from October to May. The area experiences high temperatures throughout
the year, with average annual temperatures ranging from 25°C to 30°C.

2.1.3 Land Use of Study Area

The land use in West Gondar is primarily agricultural, with farming being the main economic activity.
The area is known for its fertile soil and is used for growing crops such as maize, sorghum, teff, and
various vegetables. Livestock rearing is also common in the region.

2.1.4 Vegetation of Study Area

The vegetation in West Gondar consists of savannah grasslands and scattered trees. The area is
characterized by acacia trees and shrubs, as well as grasses that provide grazing for livestock. The
vegetation is adapted to the semi-arid climate of the region and provides important habitat for wildlife.

2.2 Methods and approaches used

The main approach i used to collect relevant data for my internship is communication with staff workers
and the community, generally, I used qualitative data analysis to review the different documented
material and presented in narration form. This study also accomplished by review research in which the
researcher involved in collecting data from existing resources. It is predominantly relied on primary and
secondary data i.e.; it is mainly based on the information collected through review of the available
documents relevant to land registration. These are some approaches of data collection.
 Field data collection
 Interviewing the community and the host organization experts

2.3 Materials and Facilities used

The materials or facilities I used for this study /internship program in the host institution are the
following: Measuring Tape, Hand held GPS, Computer, QGIS and AutoCAD software etc.

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2.4 Sources of data used

The main source of data for this study collected based on primary and secondary data.
Primary data source
Includes Communications with members of organization during field survey from field survey Ground
surveying, Field Observation Survey Plans, Observational work flow in office.
Secondary data source
Secondary data, which gathered from document, books, magazines and articles are include documents
from the municipality, internet, regional manuals, proclamations, land law, different published books
and Unpublished books and also, we have used Aerial photography, Existing base maps, Existing Legal
Document and Local development plan (LDP).

3. Internship activities and discussions

In order to accomplish and achieve my objective i have followed some process, first i communicate with
the organization employers in order to be familiar with the works and tasks of the organization, then i
follow up the direction of the experts to capture relevant data, and then extract the data that necessary
for my internship.

3.1 Rural landholding registration

Rural landholding registration is the process of recording legally recognized interests (ownership) in
land for purpose of supplying legal security to the owner. It is also the official recording of legally
recognized rights on land. The rural land registration also has included the following objectives,
 To eradicate the dispute between neighbor land holder related to unknown boundary and
demarcation conflict,
 To protect and manage the rural land,
 Ensuring the protection of land holding rights of private and NGO institutions,
 To improve the economic, social and environmental developments by ensuring land holder
security of landholding right.

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3.2 Project achievement

 To improve the digitizing of analog documents such as, ground survey coordinates.
 Update technical and conceptual knowledge and skill, download spatial and nonspatial data
like,coordinates,line map and other excel data.

3.3 The inputs used in the work office

I have also used different inputs in order to digitizing and preparing the land ownership certificate map,
such as,
 Ground survey coordinates
 GIS software (Qgis)
 Digitized Parcel, Block, Sefer, kebele, and kebele Boundary.

3.4 Experience gained from the internship

There are several benefits of experience and skills i have gained from the internship in terms of the
following aspects.
❖In terms of improving practical skills
I have learned and gained different experience and skills from an internship such as,
 To mature computer skill.
 To gain experience how to setup the field instrument such as hand held and differential GPS.
 To gain skills on how to record the field data by using GPS, Total Station and qualitative and
non-spatial data collection forms.
Even though the internship season is short period of time, i have got some practical experience from the
field and work office.
❖In terms of enhancing my theoretical knowledge
The internship also progresses my knowledge as i learnt like in the previous class theoretically
and increase my career. Simply i know more when i watch with eye, it is the also remember the
theoretical knowledge as learnt in the previous class.
❖In terms of developing good work habit

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I have also adapted the experience of work ethics from organization experts such as, punctuality,
promote professionalism, self-discipline etc.
Generally, i have gained further skills and knowledge during internship when compared to the theory as
we have learned in the previous class, because i have done practical work with many experts in the
organization.
 In terms of technical skills
I have also gained different technical skill in my internship, such as, i improved my skill how to set up
the handle GPS instrument in order to capture the field spatial data, i have also gain technical skill how
to digitize the parcel with Quantum gis and so on.

4. Land registration and documentation

4.1 Introduction to land registration

Land registration is usually a key part of a cadastral system, and it is the Official recording of legally
recognized interests in land. The function of Registration is to provide safe and certain foundation for
acquisition, Enjoyment and disposal of rights in land. The registration provides Documentary evidence
for solving property disputes and information land Valuation, taxation. Land registration is a process of
official recording of Rights in land through deeds or as title on properties. Land registration Gives an
answer to the question “who” and “how”. Instruments could be registered include lease, sub-lease,
conveyance, assignments, mortgagors, gifts, tenancy agreements probes and wills, letters of
administrations, vesting assets, statutory declarations, power of attorney etc. in relation to land. Land
registration is the process of recording rights in land either in the form of deed registry or title registry.
Title registry: -A register of properties presenting “what is owned by whom” it is parcel based; there
for cadastral maps are used for identification of parcels. Both registered titles and property boundaries
(fixed) are guaranteed by the state.
Deed registry: -register of legal document evidencing transactions. It records names of the parties rather
than the parcel. Deed registry shows “who own that what based on the deeds.

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Land certifications: -A land certificate is certified copy of an entry in a land little system and provides
proof of the ownership of encumbrances on the land at that time. Certificates is an evidence that given
for the land owner/holder/. Book of holding/ownership certificate
Registry book: -is A book/document/ that contains the information of many land holders in one.
This registry books also ensure the security of land holder and recognize the rights of land holder from
the other competitors. This registry book also identifies the use and the purpose of land use, such as for
grazing, for crop cultivation, and forests. The registry books also express the relative location of a
certain parcel holders and also its neighboring holders.

4.2 Steps in land registration and certification

The 7 steps in land registration and certification

In order to provide land use rights to as many land users as possible Within a short time, the authorities
in the Amhara Region have designed the certification process in such a way that each step in the process
can be documented as soon as it is finished. The steps are:
1. Preparation and awareness raising
The kebele land evaluation and registration process starts with Information to the woreda and kebele
administration and Awareness campaigns among the owners. Land Administration Committees (LAC)
are then established and members are elected and trained.
2. Application and identification
All owners are encouraged to apply to the LAC for registration of Their land by filling in their names,
number of parcels and total area Claimed. The application also contains a description of present land use
and gives the names of the neighbor’s east, west, north and south. The LAC verifies the Information in
the field and enters the checked information in field sheet.
3. Temporary certificate
Based on the field sheet, the woreda EPLAUO (Environmental Protection, Land Administration and Use
Office) issues temporary a Certificate to the owner. This gives owners proof of their tenure rights at an
early stage.
4. Public hearing
After the temporary certificate has been issued to the land users in A kebele, the results are publicly
displayed for one month. The LAC Also invites all concerned owners to a public hearing during which

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All the applications are read out a loud for discussions and, hopefully, agreement. Any justified
corrections are added to the field sheets and approved by the LAC chairperson and the woreda EPLAUO
head.
5. Registration
Information from the field sheets is registered in the Land Registry Book, which his kept at the woreda
office. Cases of conflicts will be documented, but the registration process will proceed while the
conflicts are resolved.
6. Book of Holding and Primary Certificate
Based on the information entered in to the land registry book, the woreda administration office issues a
Book of holding for each registered household. This booklet contains the name and picture of the
owners, list of family members and address, as well as basic Rights and obligations according to the law.
It also contains the Official certificate of the landholder ’s right to use their land, the Primary Certificate.

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7. Secondary Certificate and Mapping
A detailed description of the parcels is still needed for the Secondary certificate, so a survey is carried
out, which gives the Geographical coordinates of the parcel. Boundary corners are Marked by permanent
corner stones. This survey is carried out Using modern surveying techniques and equipment. Based on
this information, maps of the parcel are created and distributed to the landholders.

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4.3 Land information system

A land information system on the Amhara Region is consists of accurate, current and reliable land
record, cadaster and its associated attribute and spatial data that represent the legal boundaries of land
tenure and provides a vital base layer capable of integration in to other geographic systems or as a stand-
alone solution that allows data stewards to retrieve, create, update, store, view, analyze and publish land
information. Current and reliable land information’s are necessary on the study area for many public
programs; land planning, infrastructure development and maintenance environmental protection and
resource management, emergency services, social service programs and so forth.

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5. Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Conclusion

Based on background of the study Land is a volume of space stretching nationally from the center of the
earth to the infinite in the sky and associated with it are variety of rights which determine what may be
done with it, and land is a land scope, the product of geological and geomorphologic process. Generally,
land is the basic and the foundation of all forms of human activities. It lies at the heart of socio
economical and economic life of countries. In countries like Ethiopia land remains the key to livelihood,
income and employment. they perform land registration with in consideration interests of the owner
and/or use in land for the goal of supplying legal security to the owner and purchase of land and to
provide information about the rights to land which some person or group of person is in titled. In order
to accomplished this internship i used primary and secondary data source from field observation and to
read different document related to land registration and preparing the certification map. In this internship
I have gained different experience from the host organization experts, i have also gain technical skill
from the field and the work office.

5.2 Recommendation

The organization should employ more skilled man powers like land administrations and GIS experts,
cartographers and surveying professionals to modernize their land administrations, registrations and
gives efficient services to the community easily and accurately within accountability and transparency. I
also recommend that, the organizations should solve the shortage of materials like transportation and
land registration materials like total station, DGPS, stereoscope, computers and materials for giving
better service to the community and also so for they do land adjudication and certifications easily,
accurately.

Reference

 FDRE, (2005) The Rural Land Administration and Use Proclamation 456/2005
 Larsson G. (2000) Land Registration and Cadastral System: Tools for land information and
management.

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  WORLAIS System Administration Manual Woreda Land Administration Information System
(WORLAIS) for Supply, Delivery and Installation of the National Rural Land Administration
Information System (NRLAIS) Procurement No. REBID RLAUD / ICB / 01 / 2014 Version 1.5
 MASSREG Administrative Manual for Supply, Delivery and Installation of the National Rural
Land Administration Information System (NRLAIS) Procurement No. REBID RLAUD / ICB /
01 / 2014.
 Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia based on 2007.

Appendix

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