The nature of the Argentine cadastre according to the law.

Identified problems:

Lack of investment in geospatial information (no $$)

Doubling of efforts (no coordination)

Difficulties to develop, update, geospatial data (very few trained staff, no $$)

No political support because politicians were not aware of the benefits of a modern Land Information System.

PSFy DEPA Program for Financing Restructuring and Economic Development of Argentine Provinces.

==) $$ became available for the first time !!!

Extensive propaganda campaign from UEC to inform society about the benefits of a cadastre.

• Most of the provinces have started with the cadastral development project.
• The common core was the fiscal aims, but each province added their own objectives.
• Massive data capture (geodetic network, aerial photo, census etc.) to produce cadastral cartography.

Few aims have been reached regarding to NSDI

Some of the reasons are:

• The provincial autonomy
• Unprepared human resources.
• In the Provinces the working culture to work in the different organisms individually, did not help to create a culture of coordination, cooperation and communication.
• Different loans coming from the WB through different programmes were used by the Provinces or land development projects. Said projects were not developed generally under the vision of Infrastructure.

4.1 Actions at a Local level (Chubut)

Develop a Project (LIS) for the Cadastre by involving 26 municipalities and the Forestry Department. In this way some aspects of a "provincial" SDI became part of the Chubut project from the beginning.

• Aspects of coordination between entities were taken into account to avoid duplication of data collection
• Simplify the process of maintenance.
• Establish process oriented to quicker responses to the users.
• Develop standards for the involved entities.
• Developed methods to incorporate technology in everyday operations.

4.2 Problem at a local level (Chubut)

Weaknesses exist in the organization and formation of human resources aspects, regarding the ability to adapt to new forms of work and enhancement of vision required for the sustainability of the future System.

• Strategic Workshops

Three international workshops took place between 1995 and 1996 carried out with cooperation of: Canada, USA, Netherlands, Australia and Denmark.

Lessons learned:

• Ways to detect organizational problems.
• Tools for identifying weaknesses
• Smooth the difference between theory and practice through teamwork.
• Vision concerning the need of working together the players coming from the public, private and academic sectors.
• Lack of standards and other components of SDI.

Creation of a human network with experts from the international community:

Recent workshop in Esquel- Chubut.

• Coordinate and cooperative work among the participants
• People willing to contribute to common objective (standardisation)
• Clear vision about the need of contributions to the development of GSDI

Several Projects are in the development process, consequently NOW !!! is a good time for NSDI actions.

For contribution to NSDI and GSDI in the Cadastral matter:

a. We need to improve our capacity of teamwork with representatives from different sectors (good example from Chubut: Cadastre with Forestry and municipalities)

b. Start with the development of national cartographic standards

c. Use electronic ways of communication instead of Congress, Seminars, etc.

d. Financing of internet costs through the WB projects and stimulate the use for GSDI contribution through guidelines or information that the office responsible for the program (UEC), The Cadastre Federal Council or any others can provide.

e. For the projects being developed, that include some components about infrastructure, the monitoring of these items in the evaluation process would stimulate its development.

f. Emphasis for the coordination among the geospatial governmental offices in the provinces would improve our abilities to work together (example the GPS mining project which runs parallel to the cadastral projects).

g. Promote the building of consensus and techniques for coordination through informal workshops

h. Some funds are needed.

Normally our governmental organisations are in economic emergency and it is not possible to obtain a little money for setting up a workshop or other necessities. For this reason any possibility of foreign help could be a key factor for carrying out GSDI actions.

Through the WB the UEC could provide funds for education (the educational needs has been required days ago to the provinces).

If the GSDI 97 Conference, WB or other sectors could point out the benefits of the development of NSDI during the project’s execution, there would be more possibilities for concrete actions.

i. Strengthen the human network involved in GSDI as a way of supporting the local initiatives.

j. At a local level carry out concrete actions, pilot experiences, aimed at building up new ways of working, and at the same time integrate actions oriented to GSDI

k. Strengthen the vision of LSDI in the development System which being made up of different organizations can offer great possibilities.

The Chubut's approach could be a good example. If it works it will be imitated by others.

l. Continue with the proposal of integration between the Cadastre and Public Register in Chubut, which would give a valuable experience in the matter of NSDI.