Takeaways on Diagnostic Tools for Countering Land Corruption: Risk Mapping and Political Economy Analysis

Speakers: Claudia D'Andrea - Political Economy Analysis Advisor and Rainer Tump - Senior Consultant for International Development.

- Risk Mapping exposes systematic vulnerabilities

The Handbook on Land Corruption Risk Mapping, developed by the Centre for Rural Development (SLE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and commissioned by Transparency International, provides a step-by-step method to identify and address corruption risks in land governance. As Rainer Tump illustrated through the example of the workshop held in Kenya with support from the National Land Commission and civil society, this participatory approach effectively identifies where corruption risks are most acute and supports the development of targeted, practical strategies to address them.

- Corruption is about power and political economy analysis makes it visible

Corruption around land is rarely a technical glitch; it is a symptom of deeper power imbalances. This is where Political Economy Analysis (PEA) proves invaluable. It offers both a set of tools and a mindset shift by moving away from ‘best practice’ checklists to understanding how incentives, relationships, and vested interests sustain the status quo. As Claudia D’Andrea explained, PEA helps answer not just what is going wrong, but why it continues to happen: - Who benefits from the current system? - What informal networks influence formal rules? - Where are the opportunities and entry points for change? PEA helps practitioners and reformers navigate politically feasible pathways for change rather than idealistic but unrealistic solutions.

- Complementary tools, sharper strategies

Together, Land Corruption Risk Mapping and Political Economy Analysis form a powerful diagnostic pair. The Risk Mapping tool highlights where and how processes are vulnerable to corruption. PEA reveals why those vulnerabilities persist and what can be done strategically to address them. This approach helps avoid technical fixes that ignore the real dynamics on the ground, instead anchoring interventions in both system-level understanding and political reality.

- From diagnosis to action: engage local actors

A recurring theme in the webinar was the importance of working with local actors, not around them. Both tools are most effective when they draw on local knowledge and involve stakeholders who can co-create solutions. This matters because durable change in land governance depends not only on analysis but on legitimacy and ownership at the local level.

**Useful resources: ** Code Handbook on Land Corruption Risk Mapping

Strategic Framework on Political Economy Analysis for Conservation Impact (PEACI)

The recording of the presentations from the July 15th Land Corruption working group meeting is available here