As part of efforts to make the land sector more modern and efficient, the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development is committing to adopt advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Alice Wahome who is a Cabinet Secretary in this ministry spoke about how important it will be to use AI and ML with the aim of improving studies on land use as well as classification of its cover at a Pre-AGM conference held by the Institution of Surveyors Kenya (ISK) in Mombasa.
The two-day conference, themed “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Compliant Surveying,” gathered professionals from the land and built sectors, including those in public and private practice as well as academia. CS Wahome emphasized the Ministry’s use of technological advancements to achieve the goal of providing every citizen with a secure land holding right and maintaining a balanced development framework.
To address challenges like rising population, food security, and urban development, CS Wahome highlighted the importance of using AI and ML for intelligent management and control of land resources. She underlined that AI-driven software and tools would allow surveyors to collect, handle, and analyze large amounts of data quickly, facilitating informed decision-making in land management and development project planning.
CS Wahome also encouraged surveyors to explore using specialized drones and unmanned aerial vehicles for real-time mapping, which would improve property management and decision-making. She mentioned that combining AI with platforms like ArdhiSasa would revolutionize land administration and management, making it more efficient, transparent, and accessible to all citizens.
To address issues like the discrepancies in sectional plan approval fees across counties, CS Wahome emphasized the need for regulatory reforms. She called on stakeholders to develop standardized procedures that provide guidance for sectional property surveys.
Furthermore, the Ministry is actively working to address the shortage of valuers by finalizing the recruitment of 100 valuers for various registries nationwide. They also plan to hire additional surveyors to strengthen their workforce. Additionally, the Ministry supports legal changes that would effectively regulate land administration, management, and property development.