Background
The Department of the Surveyor-General (DSG) plays an
important role in the management of land resources in
Zimbabwe. The department is custodian of records on
land and transactions in land which are of utmost importance
for the whole society. The orgaisation provides basic
land informatin to a wide spectrum of users in public
and private activities.
There is a growing demand for services from the Surveyor-General.
Since systems and procedures were created a long time
ago they are not capable of meeting the demands from
today's society. There is a need to streamline procedures,
reduce duplication of work, improve security and facilitate
timely access to reliable data. Various initiatives
in Government having bearing on land are under implementation
and will further increase the demand for timely services
from the DSG.
The DSG embarked on a project on automation of its cadastral
records in 1996. The project is carried out in co-operation
with Swedesurvey and is jointly financed by the Government
of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Sweden through Sida.
The first phase of the project deals with activities
in the DSG Harare office. The second phase, planned
to commence in early 1999, will deal with the office
in Bulawayo.
Åke Finnström and Roderick Chigumete
Project components The project comprises following three components:
• The Attribute Data Component
This component includes the development and implementation
of a computerised system for maintenance of text data
on properties. The system will contain information on
some 400 000 properties in the Harare office. In addition
to system development the component includes data capture
from about 180 000 index cards, training of staff and
the setting up of a network.
• The Information Retrieval/Back-up Component
This component includes the introduction of a document
imaging system and scanning of documents from about
30 000 Survey Records. The component will facilitate
retrieval of information but also create back-up of
important documents.
• The Cadastral Mapping Component
This component comprises activities to train the staff
in the Drawing Office in the use of digital mapping
software and to test such software. The purpose has
been to create basis for future decisions on introducing
automated methods in the Drawing Office.
Swedesurvey's contribution Swedesurvey provides short-term and long-term
consultants to support project administration, procurement,
system development, cadastral mapping and training.
The DSG embarked on a project on automation of its cadastral
records in 1996. The project is carried out in co-operation
with Swedesurvey and is jointly financed by the Government
of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Sweden through Sida.
The first phase of the project deals with activities
in the DSG Harare office. The second phase, planned
to commence in early 1999, will deal with the office
in Bulawayo.
• The Information Retrieval/Back-up Component
