They can't use their property as collateral to obtain credit, can't request basic public services and utilities, and consequently have little incentive to take good care of the land or make improvements. Meanwhile, local governments cannot collect taxes from unregistered landholders, which undermines their ability to provide services. Equipped with aerial photographs, field teams from the ministry's land titling unit are fanning out across the countryside to visit individual land owners. The teams verify lot boundaries by walking along the perimeters with owners, and they obtain records and testimony from neighbors to certify ownership. Correct lot dimensions and landowner information are then entered into a GIS software database and linked to digitized versions of the aerial maps.
Landowners ultimately receive accurate cadastral certificates and land titles.
If they have questions about boundaries or tax assessments they can visit public registry offices, view a digital image of their lot, and get print-outs of relevant records. In Rio de Janeiro similar technology is being used to remap the entire metropolitan area, including low-income neighborhoods that have never been accurately mapped before. When completed, the IDB-financed project will combine aerial photographs with detailed digital maps for 600 square km of municipal land. Streets will be named and houses numbered so that owners can apply for legal titles.