World Bank Approves $100m to Expand Colombia’s Multipurpose Cadaster System

A multipurpose cadaster records comprehensive and up-to-date information about land parcels, including their boundaries, characteristics, ownership, and use.

The World Bank Board of Directors has approved a US$100 million Program-for-Results (PforR) loan to support the expansion and improved implementation of Colombia’s Multipurpose Cadaster, a flagship tool for modernizing land administration and addressing long-standing challenges around land tenure, planning, and equitable development.

The investment marks a major step forward in Colombia’s ongoing efforts to build a unified, accurate, and transparent land information system capable of supporting rural transformation, economic growth, climate resilience, and social inclusion.

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A Modern Cadaster to Strengthen Land Rights and Local Governance

A multipurpose cadaster records comprehensive and up-to-date information about land parcels, including their boundaries, characteristics, ownership, and use. This information forms the foundation for:

• Recognizing and formalizing land rights

• Expanding property tax collection

• Improving territorial planning

• Facilitating public investment

• Reducing land-related conflicts

• Enabling climate and disaster risk management

For Colombia—a country with deep historical inequalities in land distribution, significant informality in property rights, and ongoing post-conflict recovery—the cadaster is an essential instrument for justice, governance, and development.

Mark R. Thomas, World Bank Country Director for Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela, emphasized its importance:

“Having a modern and comprehensive cadaster is fundamental for people to exercise their land rights and for local governments to plan better and collect revenues more efficiently. This program will enable more communities—especially the most vulnerable—to access quality cadastral services, contributing to better land management and more equitable and sustainable development.”

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What the New US$100 Million Program Will Do

The newly approved financing aims to enhance the National Cadaster Management System and expand the coverage of the Multipurpose Cadaster across the country.

Key components include:

1. Strengthening Institutional and Community Capacities

• Training land agencies, local governments, and community leaders

• Supporting women and vulnerable communities to participate in cadaster mapping

• Expanding job opportunities in surveying, geospatial technology, and land management

2. Modernizing Geospatial Infrastructure

• Integrating digital mapping tools and satellite technologies

• Improving interoperability and data-sharing among government entities

• Upgrading Colombia’s national geospatial data systems for greater accuracy

3. Expanding Cadaster Coverage and Data Quality

• Updating land parcel information, including boundaries and land use

• Improving identification of land tenure rights holders

• Correcting data gaps and inconsistencies across rural and urban areas

4. Promoting Data Use for Development

• Enhancing territorial planning tools

• Supporting risk management and climate adaptation

• Strengthening property tax systems at the municipal level

• Integrating cadaster data into infrastructure and value chain planning

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Building on Progress from the 2019 Multipurpose Cadaster Project

The new program complements and scales the Multipurpose Cadaster Project approved by the World Bank in 2019, which laid the groundwork for Colombia’s national cadaster framework.

Key achievements from the 2019 project include:

• Initiating cadaster updates in priority rural municipalities

• Developing the National Cadaster Management System

• Improving cadastral methodologies and technical standards

• Supporting land formalization processes for vulnerable communities

The newly approved program ensures continuity of these strategic efforts while expanding their reach to more regions, particularly those affected by conflict, migration, and environmental vulnerabilities.

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Benefits for Land Formalization, Investment, and Economic Growth

Accurate and standardized land information is essential not only for social inclusion but also for economic dynamism.

The Multipurpose Cadaster is expected to:

1. Improve Legal Security and Land Formalization

• Allow families to receive formal land titles

• Reduce disputes and clarify rights across territories

2. Boost Access to Credit and Markets

• Enable smallholders and entrepreneurs to use land as collateral

• Strengthen the real estate market through transparent property records

3. Reduce Uncertainty for Public and Private Investment

• Provide reliable information for infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and tourism

• Lower investment risks and improve project planning

4. Increase Local Government Revenues

• Expand and update property tax bases

• Improve municipal fiscal sustainability and service delivery

These benefits are particularly important in Colombia’s post-conflict areas, where land is central to economic recovery, rural development, and the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement.

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Program-for-Results (PforR): Results-Based Financing for Real Impact

The program uses the Program-for-Results financing modality, meaning funds are released only when agreed targets are achieved and independently verified.

This model helps ensure:

• Efficient implementation

• Strong accountability

• Focus on measurable outcomes

• Direct links between financing and social impact

Targets may include expanded cadaster coverage, improved data accuracy, increased municipal revenue collection, or enhanced participation of vulnerable groups.

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A Foundation for More Equitable and Sustainable Development

By supporting land rights, strengthening local government capacity, promoting territorial planning, and improving investment conditions, the Multipurpose Cadaster is a cornerstone of Colombia’s effort to build a more inclusive, transparent, and resilient society.

The new World Bank financing represents a renewed partnership to ensure that:

• women,

• ethnic communities,

• small producers, and

• marginalized rural populations

benefit fully from modern land administration systems.

As Colombia advances toward a comprehensive national cadaster, the country is taking a decisive step toward addressing historical land inequalities, boosting economic opportunities, and reinforcing territorial peace.