Landano: Integrating ProofMode Certifications with Land Right NFTs

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Peter Van Garderen

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

peter@landano.io

Additional applicants

Dorus Van Der Kroft

Nathan Freitas

Christian Koch

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

Yes

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

This project will be executed in collaboration with the ProofMode team, which is housed with the Guardian Project. In accordance with the grant criteria, we are using software released under open source license; the ProofMode software is released under open source license. The ProofMode team's expertise and experience will be critical when facilitating integration with Landano's NFT minting capabilities.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source

[METADATA] Category of proposal

RealFi

[METADATA] SDG rating

The Landano project addresses a key pain point in the fight against poverty, corruption and human rights violations. The ProofMode integration will fortify our solution. The deliverables from this project sync with several key SDG objectives:

1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere

1.1 - By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day

1.4 - By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance

 

9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

9.3 - Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

 

11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

11.1 - By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

 

16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

16.5 - Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms

 

17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

17.3 - Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

The Landano team will partner with ProofMode to further expand and strengthen the land rights created and archived via the Landano platform. Landano's mvp with integrated ProofMode software will give users the means to gain audio/visual proof of the two steps in the conveyancing process: the verbal decree, and the written confirmation of that decree which is performed by a traditional leader. These new Landano land right records will then verify the time and place of conveyance. Additionally, witnesses to these acts may be confirmed by these audio/visual proofs.

 

The result of integrating these proofs into Landano’s record-keeping/archiving process is that users will gain the ability to access and leverage the verifiable and authentic replay of chiefs' verbal commands and also the record of witnesses to that act, when necessary. Not only does access to these land right records bring long-term security to members of these communities, the security features and authenticity of the facts they convey will position users to take advantage of new financial opportunities they may have been barred previously. Whether through a Cardano native micro-lending solution or a local mortgage market, access to records and the ability to authentically prove land rights will allow users to leverage their assets to best meet their needs.

In countries around the world and myriad legal situations, witnesses are a requisite component in certifying the authority and efficacy of acts. In Ghana, where over 80% of all land is controlled by traditional leaders (such as chiefs, family heads, etc.), the right to live on and work a particular parcel of land is granted through land allocations, which must be conveyed by traditional leaders and witnessed by a number of community members depending on the jurisdiction and cultural practices.

These witnesses provide security and a level of recourse to the parties affected within the act. Where these rights aren’t strictly conveyed verbally, land allocations are primarily recorded by hand and then signed by all parties. However, if proof of witness is incorrectly or insufficiently documented, or if records of the fact can be tampered with, lost, or stolen, then the efficacy of these systems can be undermined and individuals can find themselves unable to prove their rights to their home, land, and property. 

Situations like this contribute to the 5 billion people worldwide that have legal rights to their land but lack the records needed to prove it. Over 25% of sub-Saharan Africans (more than 121 million people) report that they believe it is likely that they will have their properties forcefully taken or sold out from under them in the next 5 years because of their lack of records pertaining to their land rights.

The Landano project has already completed rigorous pilot-project work in Ghana. We have uncovered a revolutionary new path towards solving the land rights quagmire in this and several other Sub-Saharan African countries. We have developed detailed methodologies, process maps, and several software prototypes that function as a basic Minimum Viable Product for the Landano concept. Integrating with ProofMode will provide high-quality, trustworthy audio-visual attestations to support our sub-literate user base.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

This project does not fit well into any of the other challenges, yet it will expand on how Cardano developers leverage NFTs in new global solutions. The approach we're taking incorporates careful stakeholder engagement, business requirements gathering, systematic user-centered design, and thorough testing.

Here are the key benefits this project will bring to the Cardano ecosystem:

User-friendly Solutions: By working closely with various stakeholders we will create a system that's user-friendly. This focus on usability and interoperability will drive adoption among end-users.

Attract More Businesses: By proving the feasibility of such complex use cases on Cardano, Landano's success will positively impact ongoing efforts to attract more businesses to build their solutions on the Cardano blockchain.

Real World Impact: Land administration is a real-world problem that affects billions of people world-wide. The successful completion of this project will serve as a blueprint for governments and organizations around the world who are looking to adopt blockchain technology to solve similar issues within their jurisdictions.

Open Source Contributions: We recognize the amazing privilege and opportunity that Catalysts represents. Because of this, all project outputs will be made open-source in order to give back to the community that enables this research and development. Our open-sourced material will contribute to the wealth of resources available to the Cardano community, which will encourage further innovation and development within the ecosystem.

Ultimately, by onboarding what is often a person’s most valuable assets (their home, land, or property), Cardano stands to benefit from a whole new wave of users, and these users will be using Cardano to transact on those assets. By funding this project, the Cardano community will enable Landano to continue pushing the boundaries of how Cardano solutions can be used and increase use cases for its technologies.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

The success of our project will be measured by the following key metrics:

1. Completion of Milestones: The first measure of success will be the timely completion of the project's key milestones.
2. Target User Engagement: Success in Target User engagement will be measured by the number of active participants in meetings, the diversity of Target User involved, and the quality of their feedback.
3. PoC Evaluation: After the development of the PoC, its success will be measured by its technical performance, the level of stakeholder satisfaction, and the feedback received.
4. Post-Launch Metrics: After the system is launched, we will track metrics such as the number of transactions on the system, the number of active users, and the resolution of any identified issues.
5. Impact on Cardano Ecosystem: The project's contribution to the Cardano ecosystem will be assessed by the new use case it introduces and the interest it generates among developers and users.

By tracking these metrics throughout and beyond the project timeline, we can evaluate the project's success and make necessary adjustments to ensure it delivers its intended value.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

In order to share the outputs from the collaborative process between Landano and ProofMode with the largest Cardano audience, our project will employ the following strategies:

1. Open Source Code: The code developed for the project will be open source and shared publicly on a platform like GitHub. This will allow broad access to the community to review, contribute, learn from our work, and leverage our developments in their own solutions.
2. Regular Updates: We will provide regular updates on the project's progress, challenges, and achievements through blog posts, newsletters, and social media. Regular community updates will help keep the interest groups, and the Cardano community, informed and engaged.
3. Publishing Reports: We will publish comprehensive reports at key stages of the project, detailing our research findings, technical design, implementation details, and evaluation results. These reports will be made publicly available and social media will be utilized to inform the community as to when they have been published and where they can be located.

By sharing our outputs and results in these ways, we will contribute to the knowledge base of the Cardano community, foster greater collaboration, and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology in land administration and identity management solutions.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Both the Landano and ProofMode team are led by experienced IT industry innovators. The partnership between Landano and ProofMode will create an expert collaborator team to deliver this innovative new feature to a revolutionary land rights platform.

Landano has always prioritized research-driven development over premature deployment; we have enlisted the aid of topic experts and scholars to execute literature reviews and comparative analyses of different land tenure processes across multiple legal jurisdictions. Beyond the theory underpinning the landano technology, we rely heavily on the expertise of our team situated in these legal jurisdictions. Our team also appreciates the complexities around developing solutions designed to be deployed outside of our own communities of understanding; it is because of this that Landano takes every opportunity to meet in person with and work in collaboration with the communities our solution is being designed for.

ProofMode has set themselves apart by designing robust yet lightweight mobile solutions for safeguarding the veracity and authenticity of audio/visual records; their solutions aim to work through smartphone camera apps and in the background in order to allow users the freedom of benefiting from their use without noticeable impacts on battery or the network. ProofMode’s solutions are also purposefully designed for ease of deployment in order to reduce the need for user training. The system builds on open reliable building blocks like Sha256 hashes and OpenPGP signatures, while also adopting more innovative approaches to notarization using Signal (MobileCoin), OpenTimestamps (Bitcoin Blockchain), the Interplanetary File System (IPFS), and other decentralized web and ledger systems.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals for our project are:

1. Develop land right NFTs with evidentiary value: This involves capturing photo/video proofs of land allocations made by a community leader. This expansion of NFT use cases will enable land transactions, ensure transparency, security, and trust.
2. Engage target users: Engaging target users such as landowners and community leaders is crucial for the system’s adoption and effectiveness. We will run on-the-ground user testing pilots with our collaborators in rural Ghana as part of our iterative software development methodology. All user feedback will be incorporated into future requirements and features analyses.

To validate the feasibility of our approach, we will:

1. Conduct a Proof of Concept (PoC): We will develop a PoC of the system and test it in a controlled environment. The successful implementation and operation of the PoC will be a key indicator of the feasibility of our approach.
2. Engage with target users: We will present our system and its benefits to the identified target users and gather their feedback. Positive reception from stakeholders will further validate our approach, while critiques will allow us to better meet their needs.

By achieving these goals and validating our steps along the way, we will confirm the feasibility and potential success of our solution.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Milestone 1: Requirements analysis

Description: landano and ProofMode will work together in order to identify system requirements and develop user stories which will direct the remainder of this project.

Completion date: 1 month (from start of project)

Funding amount: 13,780

Percent of total grant: 20%

Outputs and deliverables: 

• System requirements
• User stories
• Graphical user interface (GUI) wireframes

Acceptance criteria: The project will have furnished all outputs and deliverables identified for the milestone. Any changes or additions owing to the ongoing research and development process will be documented and clearly explained.

 Evidence of completion: Landano will furnish documentation for each of the identified outputs for this milestone, this will include: a list of system requirements derived from the collaborative efforts of both Landano and ProofMode; a series of user stories outlining anticipated system functionality and how these will aid users in the completion of tasks; wireframes depicting the working conceptualization of how identified system requirements and user stories will translate into an easy-to-use dapp interface. 

Milestone 2: Proof of concept software integration (Upload and Packaging) 

Description: ProofMode’s software, which allows users to leverage their mobile devices in order to capture time-place evidence, will be integrated into a Landano proof-of-concept. This milestone will focus on the upload and packaging functionality which accepts ProofMode signed media through a Landano API and packages that media, all relevant metadata, and the subsequent Landano NFT. 

Completion date: 2 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 13,780

Percent of total grant: 20%

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Landano-ProofMode Upload Module 
• Landano-ProofMode Packaging Module

Acceptance criteria: The project will have furnished all outputs and deliverables identified for the milestone. Any changes or additions owing to the ongoing research and development process will be documented and clearly explained.

Evidence of completion: Landano will furnish documentation for each of the identified outputs for this milestone. This will include public GitHub repositories outlining the development, iterations of, and integration of both the Upload and Packaging Modules into a Landano proof-of-concept.

Milestone 3: Proof of concept software integration (Verification)

Description: ProofMode’s software, which allows users to leverage their mobile devices in order to capture time-place evidence, will be integrated into a Landano proof-of-concept. This milestone will focus on the verification functionality which will enable users to recall or replay ProofMode media as part of demonstrating their NFT ownership. 

Completion date: 3 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 10,335

Percent of total grant: 15%

Outputs and deliverables: 

• ProofMode Verification Module (enable users to recall ProofMode media as part of demonstrating their NFT ownership)

Acceptance criteria: The project will have furnished all outputs and deliverables identified for the milestone. Any changes or additions owing to the ongoing research and development process will be documented and clearly explained.

Evidence of completion: Landano will furnish documentation for each of the identified outputs for this milestone. This will include public GitHub repositories outlining the development, iterations of, and integration of the Verification Module into a Landano proof-of-concept.

Milestone 4: On-site end-user testing

Description: Once ProofMode’s software has been successfully integrated into a Landano proof-of-concept, our team will seek feedback from end users within Landano’s pilot communities in Ghana. The Landano team will leverage the Earth Defender’s user centered design methodology and pedagogical resources in order to prioritize our end users and ensure that the solution being developed aligns with their needs on the ground. 

Completion date: 4 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 13,780

Percent of total grant: 20%

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Collated user feedback
• Citations for pedagogical resources used
• All other workshop documents

Acceptance criteria: The project will have furnished all outputs and deliverables identified for the milestone. Any changes or additions owing to the ongoing research and development process will be documented and clearly explained.

Evidence of completion: Landano will furnish documentation for each of the identified outputs for this milestone. This will include: the combined feedback received from user’s asked to navigate and make sense of the Landano solution; a document listing all resources used in the preparation of Landano’s user-first, user-centered, design workshop; copies of all other resources in the course of the community workshop. 

Milestone 5: User-driven software design updates

Description: After successfully leveraging the Earth Defender’s user centered design methodology and pedagogical resources (milestone #4) in a community focused workshop within Landano’s Ghana pilot, Landano and ProofMode will work together to incorporate user-driven software design updates. These updates will be based on Feedback derived from these collaborative efforts. This stage will ensure that design choices are being made from an informed position after communicating with Landano’s target users.

Completion date: 5 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 6,890

Percent of total grant: 10%

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Landano-ProofMode 2.0 software release (integrated user requirements) 

Acceptance criteria: The project will have furnished all outputs and deliverables identified for the milestone. Any changes or additions owing to the ongoing research and development process will be documented and clearly explained.

Evidence of completion: Landano will furnish documentation for each of the identified outputs for this milestone. This will include public GitHub repositories outlining the development, iterations of, and integration of the Upload, Packaging, and Verification Modules into a Landano proof-of-concept after having received feedback from target users.

Milestone 6: Final Acceptance Milestone (Demo and Docs)

Description: Landano will present a new mvp which includes the integration of ProofMode software. Having been made possible by the collaborative effort made by both teams and the target users, who helped within the design process.

Completion date: 6 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 10,335

Percent of total grant: 15%

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Landano-ProofMode integration demo video.
• Technical documentation

Acceptance criteria: The project will have furnished all outputs and deliverables identified for the milestone. Any changes or additions owing to the ongoing research and development process will be documented and clearly explained.

Evidence of completion: Landano will furnish documentation for each of the identified outputs for this milestone. This will include: a recorded Landano-ProofMode integration demo; GitHub repositories outlining solution development; all other technical documentation created over the course of the challenge.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Landano will utilize an agile methodology inorder to meet milestone timelines and their expected outputs; each milestone will be broken down into sprints and assigned to project team members listed in this proposal based on the nature of the work and team member proficiencies. The following is a list of those milestones, their outputs, and expected outcomes.

Milestone 1: Requirements analysis

Description: landano and ProofMode will work together in order to identify system requirements and develop user stories which will direct the remainder of this project.

Completion date: 1 month (from start of project)

Outputs and deliverables: 

• System requirements
• User stories
• Graphical user interface (GUI) wireframes

Intended outcomes: Upon completing milestone 1, both Landano and ProofMode will have identified mutually agreeable system requirements which will then be used to inform user stories and the development of a GUI.  

Milestone 2: Proof of concept software integration (Upload and Packaging) 

Description: ProofMode’s software, which allows users to leverage their mobile devices in order to capture time-place evidence, will be integrated into a Landano proof-of-concept. This milestone will focus on the upload and packaging functionality which accepts ProofMode signed media through a Landano API and packages that media, all relevant metadata, and the subsequent Landano NFT. 

Completion date: 2 months (from start of project)

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Landano-ProofMode Upload Module 
• Landano-ProofMode Packaging Module

Intended outcomes: Upon completing milestone 2, Landano will be able to demonstrate how to attach additional value to Cardano NFT’s by linking various media types with evidentiary value. We intend for this to contribute towards the congoing research and development behind legally binding NFT technologies.

Milestone 3: Proof of concept software integration (Verification)

Description: ProofMode’s software, which allows users to leverage their mobile devices in order to capture time-place evidence, will be integrated into a Landano proof-of-concept. This milestone will focus on the verification functionality which will enable users to recall or replay ProofMode media as part of demonstrating their NFT ownership. 

Completion date: 3 months (from start of project)

Outputs and deliverables: 

• ProofMode Verification Module (enable users to recall ProofMode media as part of demonstrating their NFT ownership)

Intended outcomes: Similarly to milestone 2, Upon completing milestone 3 Landano will be able to demonstrate how to attach additional value to Cardano NFT’s by linking various media types with evidentiary value and verifying their authenticity. We intend for this to contribute towards the congoing research and development behind legally binding NFT technologies.

Milestone 4: On-site end-user testing

Description: Once ProofMode’s software has been successfully integrated into a Landano proof-of-concept, our team will seek feedback from end users within Landano’s pilot communities in Ghana. The Landano team will leverage the Earth Defender’s user centered design methodology and pedagogical resources in order to prioritize our end users and ensure that the solution being developed aligns with their needs on the ground. 

Completion date: 4 months (from start of project)

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Collated user feedback
• Citations for pedagogical resources used
• All other workshop documents

Intended outcomes: Upon completing milestone 4, we intend to have demonstrated how all decentralized projects on Cardano, who are building solutions for communities outside of their own, should execute user-centered design. By leveraging resources outside of Cradano, Landano will have demonstrated a multidisciplinary best practice which can be replicated by other projects in order to strengthen efficacy and target adoption. 

Milestone 5: User-driven software design updates

Description: After successfully leveraging the Earth Defender’s user centered design methodology and pedagogical resources (milestone #4) in a community focused workshop within Landano’s Ghana pilot, Landano and ProofMode will work together to incorporate user-driven software design updates. These updates will be based on Feedback derived from these collaborative efforts. This stage will ensure that design choices are being made from an informed position after communicating with Landano’s target users.

Completion date: 5 months (from start of project)

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Landano-ProofMode 2.0 software release (integrated user requirements) 

Intended outcomes: Similarly to milestone 4, Upon completing milestone 5 landano will continue to demonstrate best practice by seeking feedback from its target users and then incorporating that feedback in meaningful ways. Successful implementation will highlight the benefits of building solutions that are user-first and leverage user-centered design principles.  

Milestone 6: Final Acceptance Milestone (Demo and Docs)

Description: Landano will present a new mvp which includes the integration of ProofMode software. Having been made possible by the collaborative effort made by both teams and the target users, who helped within the design process.

Completion date: 6 months (from start of project)

Outputs and deliverables: 

• Landano-ProofMode integration demo video.
• Technical documentation

1. Intended outcomes: Upon completing milestone 6, Landano will have successfully integrated ProofMode’s authentication and verification software into a proof of concept. The added functionality will need to undergo further research and development but will have paved the way for further strengthening Landano’s land right NFT solution for communities in need all around the world. We intend for the successful completion of this project to reveal powerful new and revolutionary ways to leverage Cardano and NFT’s. This project will allow Landano to give added legal weight to land0right NFT’s by attaching various kinds of media based evidence; this could have huge implications for users who struggle to secure land rights within other systems.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Total project cost: 68,900 ADA

This total costs will be largely divided into two categories:

40900 ADA - Landano software development

28000 ADA - Ghana user testing (travel, room rentals, event support)

Personnel and resources provided by ProofMode in integration analysis and software development support will be provided pro bono.

Landano software development costs will be spread over our 6 milestones as follows: 

Milestone 1: Requirements analysis

Completion date: 1 month (from start of project)

Funding amount: 13,780

Percent of total grant: 20%

Milestone 2: Proof of concept software integration (Upload and Packaging) 

Completion date: 2 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 13,780

Percent of total grant: 20%

Milestone 3: Proof of concept software integration (Verification)

Completion date: 3 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 10,335

Percent of total grant: 15%

Milestone 5: User-driven software design updates

Completion date: 5 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 6,890

Percent of total grant: 10%

Milestone 6: Final Acceptance Milestone (Demo and Docs)

Completion date: 6 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 10,335

Percent of total grant: 15%

Ghana user testing costs will cover: travel, room rentals, event support

These costs will be incurred in

Milestone 4: On-site end-user testing

Completion date: 4 months (from start of project)

Funding amount: 13,780

Percent of total grant: 20%

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The proposed project represents excellent value for money for the Cardano for several reasons:

• Innovation and Extension of Use Cases: Successful completion of the project will extend the use of the Cardano blockchain to land administration and the evidentiary value of NFT’s, thereby broadening the range of real-world applications and solutions that the ecosystem can support. This expansion of critical use cases will attract more users and developers to Cardano, strengthening its positions in the market.

• Improved Trust and Security: By leveraging blockchain and NFT technologies for land administration, the project will promote transparency, accuracy, and security in managing land records and identities. This will contribute to enhanced trust in the Cardano ecosystem, boosting its credibility and reputation.

• Target user Engagement: By actively engaging stakeholders, the project ensures that the developed solution will align with user needs and expectations. This will lead to increased adoption of the system and greater satisfaction among users, promoting Cardano's growth and success.

• Potential for Future Commercial Application: Although the project is initially a proof of concept, successful completion will pave the way to the potential for development to be incorporated into a fully-fledged commercial application. This would generate significant value and return on investment for the Cardano ecosystem in the long term.

In summary, the cost of the project is justified by the potential benefits and value it will bring to the Cardano ecosystem, both immediately and in the future. Additionally, this ProofMode integration will onboard tens of thousands of sub-literate users in Ghana onto Cardano.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept