Launching Landano on Cardano Mainnet

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Aaron Moguin

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Requested funds in ada

279000

[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] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Landano will upgrade its proven prototype to deliver a robust, user-friendly, market-ready dApp for the registration, certification, verification, and transfer of land right records on Cardano mainnet

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

No

[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.”

No dependencies. Landano has a variety of project partnerships and leverages multiple Cardano ecosystem technical components but the team operates as an independent entity with full ownership of its technology intellectual property.

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

Yes

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

Our team believes in open-source licenses that strike the right balance between extending broad rights while anchoring in legally proven software IP practices and software stewardship institutions. For this reason we use the Apache 2.0 license in all those circumstances that allow for it.

While some of the Landano components will have a dependency on Mendix’s public cloud infrastructure to execute some compute tasks, all the Mendix design models used to operate the Landano Mendix components, along with any software artifacts that are produced as a result, will all be open-sourced under Apache 2.0 license. This makes it easy for anyone to permissionlessly inspect, modify, and enhance these Landano components and run them as their own modified Mendix components, whether for personal or commercial use.

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG goals:

• End poverty in all its forms everywhere
• End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
• Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Reduce inequality within and among countries

SDG subgoals:

• 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
• Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
• By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment
• Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed countries
• Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all

Key Performance Indicators (KPI):

• Proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, (a) with legally recognized documentation, and (b) who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and type of tenure
• Volume of production per labour unit by classes of farming/pastoral/forestry enterprise size
• Average income of small-scale food producers, by sex and indigenous status
• Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a bank or other financial institution or with a mobile-money-service provider
• Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

The Landano pilot projects in Ghana and Mozambique led to the creation of a basic software prototype that has been useful to demonstrate the breakthrough potential of land records product concept to our prospective users and funders. Our on-the-ground engagement with traditional leaders and individuals in non-urban areas has made it very clear that a complete, reliable, production-ready Landano dApp is in high demand and eagerly awaited. Our prototype's core feature suite grew directly out of feedback and input from local governments and individuals in these areas most at risk from the insecurity of their land tenure, and most easily capable of rapid implementation due to the near-vacuum of existing administration tech and infrastructure. Please check out some of the results of this work here:

Landano desktop prototype link

user: kofi.appiah

pswd: L4nd4n0Welcome!

[please see the bottom of this section for a few screenshots of the mobile prototype]

Using the Mendix low-code development platform on which our prototype is based, we can complete the remaining functionality and feature gaps in a 3 month development cycle. This would result in a production-ready Minimum Viable Product that can mint Landano land right records as Cardano NFTs on Mainnet. These NFTs will then be the basis for a variety of land administration transactions that are compliant with local land acts (starting in Ghana and Mozambique) and international standards for record-keeping and land administration systems.

Using a shared, auditable ledger like the Cardano blockchain improves transparency and almost completely eliminates the potential for fraud. With this funding we can produce an MVP that establishes legally-compliant Cardano NFTs as new DeFi primitives for mortgages, business loans, leases, and crop insurance, etc. We truly are at the cusp of a financial mobility revolution for the estimated 1 billion people worldwide that have land rights but lack the documentation to prove it.

This grant would enable the evolution of the existing prototype into a production-ready Landano MVP that will include:

1. Desktop UI for Cadastral Data management
2. NFT minting module
3. NFT ownership verification
4. Desktop administrator interface improvements
5. Mobile user interface (PWA app)

The ultimate goal is the 1.0 beta release of the Landano dApp on Cardano Mainnet.

[Mobile prototype screenshots]

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community.

Landano is a high-impact, quality dApp that will increase the utility and adoption of Cardano on Day One of going live on Mainnet. Our community-based pilot projects and MVP software development have proven that Landano is a viable product that is primed to attract a large user base because it provides solutions for long-standing land management issues while also providing a clear path forward into upward financial mobility for highly-motivated but marginalized people.

Our Local Government & Chiefs Summit in Ghana earlier this year was a huge success and is laying the groundwork for a major collaboration with a paramount chief, his network of chiefs, and the millions of Ghanaians they represent. As well, our collaboration with Terra Firma’s CaVaTeCo project will result in the minting of Landano NFTs for up to 40,000 new users at once which, as far as we know, will represent the single largest Cardano on-boarding after IOG’s own initiatives.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Team:

Our team at Landano International Ltd. is uniquely qualified to launch the Landano project on mainnet. Each team member brings specific expertise crucial for the success of this initiative.

Dorus van der Kroft, CTO of Landano and Lead Developer of the Project: Dorus is the driving technical force behind the project. With extensive experience in blockchain technology and software development, he ensures the technical excellence and innovation of our solution.

Peter van Garderen, CEO of Landano and Systems Analyst for the Project: Peter brings a strategic vision for integrating blockchain solutions with enterprise systems, overseeing the analytical aspects of the project. His insights are vital in aligning the project with enterprise needs. 

Aaron Moguin, COO of Landano and Project Manager: Aaron is responsible for the project's overall management, ensuring that all components progress cohesively and efficiently. His expertise in operations management is key to maintaining project timelines and quality. 

Dan Amankona, CMO of Landano and Community Liaison: Dan plays a pivotal role in engaging with the developer and broader Cardano community, gathering feedback, and fostering collaborations that enhance the project's relevance and adoption.

Technical Feasibility & Project Management:

Our approach combines agile methodologies with continuous integration and deployment, ensuring that the project adapts to changing requirements and incorporates feedback efficiently. We leverage state-of-the-art tools for project tracking and version control, guaranteeing transparency and consistency.

Risk Mitigation:

We have identified key risks, including technical challenges in blockchain adoption in rural areas, and have strategies in place to mitigate them. Regular reviews, testing phases, and community engagement will ensure that we promptly address any issues, maintaining the project's integrity and progress.

Our team's combination of technical acumen, strategic insight, operational excellence, and community engagement positions us to successfully deliver a product that meets the needs of the Cardano ecosystem and its stakeholders.

[Project Milestones] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1: Desktop Administrator Interface

Objective: The Landano prototype app allows for basic cadastral data management but we need to upgrade its features to support standard ISO Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) requirements in a robust browser UI for day-to-day use by land administration professionals.

Activities: Develop and test the upgraded UI for desktop/browser land administrator users.

Outcome: An upgraded browser UI that supports ISO LADM standards and protocols.

Acceptance Criterion: a link shared to the upgraded prototype with the above capabilities.

Expected Completion: week 8

Milestone 2: NFT Ownership Verification Module

Objective: Create a module for verifying NFT ownership within the Mendix framework.

Activities: Developing verification algorithms, integrating with the minting module, and conducting thorough testing to ensure accurate verification.

Outcome: NFT verification module produced

Acceptance Criterion: a QR code that brings the user to the Mendix platform showing the above.

Expected Completion: week 12

Milestone 3: Mobile User Interface

Objective: Smartphone usability for individuals with land rights or property they wish to show documentation or proof for via Landano NFTs.

Activities: Develop and test the Android and iOS versions, with individual users the primary use case

Outcome: a mobile-based functional prototype showing core functionality as identified by customer interviews in 2022 and 2023.

Acceptance Criteria: a link provided to the upgraded prototype, and a short report documenting functionality and utility for individual users

Expected Completion: week 16

Milestone 4: Records link to Arweave.org

Objective: The documents created and collected to support the legal proof of property rights must be managed in an ISO compliant record-keeping system.

Activities: Immutable document linkage to Arweave.org (with Arkly value-added services) via the Arkly.io API.

Outcome: ISO standards-compliant records stored on Arweave via Arkly.

Acceptance Criterion: link to one test property record active and stored correctly.

Expected Completion: week 24

Final Milestone: Mainnet-Ready Landano MVP

Objective: Complete the evolution of the existing Landano prototype into a Mainnet-ready minimum viable product.

Activities:

• Conduct comprehensive end-to-end testing and debugging of all developed modules, including final optimizations for performance and security.
• Prepare for deployment on Cardano Mainnet, incorporating stakeholder feedback to refine the MVP for launch readiness.

Target Outcome: Launchable MVP containing minimum functionality as identified and developed in previous milestones and iterations.

Acceptance Criterion: A short report describing the success of this effort to launch on Mainnet, or failing that, a short report describing lessons learned and how these will be implemented in a future development of a launchable Landano MVP.

Expected Completion: week 26

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Aaron Moguin, Project Manager and COO - Landano

Aaron is responsible for this project's overall management and delivery schedule, ensuring that all components progress cohesively and efficiently. His expertise in operations management is key to maintaining project timelines and quality. 

Dorus Van Der Kroft, Software Lead and CTO - Landano

Dorus is co-founder of Landano. He is an expert consultant for the Mendix low code platform and a full stack developer with over twenty years of industry experience delivering projects from start to finish. His broad set of software engineering skills have been used in start-ups and large enterprises.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorus/

Peter Van Garderen, System Architect and CEO - Landano

Peter is co-founder of Landano. He is a professional archivist and a world-renowned expert in the field of digital records management. He is the creator of the most widely deployed open-source archives management applications in the world and a long-time decentralization advocate. Peter has designed software architectures and led development teams for over 15 years.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/petervangarderen/

Abdul Razak, Software Developer - Landano

Razak is a coder, GIS analyst, and geospatial engineer based in Kumasi, Ghana. He has over 10 years experience developing software products and implementing geospatial tools. He is an active member of the Wada Alliance which promotes Cardano adoption throughout Africa.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/razakalhassan/

Christian Koch, Systems Analyst and Researcher - Landano

Christian is an archival science graduate student at the University of British Columbia who is working on blockchain, record-keeping, and AI technology research. His professional experience includes the InterPares trustworthy AI research project, Peace Corps development projects in Zambia, and web archiving for the Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online initiative.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-koch-5a070120a/

Nana Safo, Community Ambassador - Landano

Nana is a Landano community ambassador and software developer based in Accra, Ghana. He is an active member of the Wada Alliance which promotes Cardano adoption throughout Africa.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nana-kwadwo-safo-30114517a/

Simon Norfolk, Project Lead - CaVaTeCo

Simon is a lawyer originally from the UK and now a Mozambican national who operates Terra Firma as a land rights consultancy. He has been involved in African land tenure issues for the past two decades. Simon saw the opportunity provided by Mozambique's unique land law and took action to implement the CaVaTeCo system. He has since helped 80,000 rural Mozambicans declare their land rights. Simon is eager to scale out a secure platform for 20 million more Mozambicans and help them connect these declarations to Cardano-based DeFi opportunities via Landano.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonnorfolk/

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

To accommodate for the fluctuation in ADA price, which creates a conversion risk and a potential budget shortfall, we are using the conservative base price of $0.25 ADA to calculate our expenses. We will employ 2 senior Mendix software engineers ($130/hr), 1 systems analyst ($100/hr) and 1 project manager ($100/hr) to complete this work over a three month period.

Milestone 1

100 hrs x software dev ($13,000)

25 hrs x sys analyst & PM ($2,500)

Milestone 2

100 hrs x software dev ($13,000)

25 hrs x sys analyst & PM ($2,500)

Milestone 3

100 hrs x software dev ($13,000)

25 hrs x sys analyst & PM ($2,500)

Milestone 4

100 hrs x software dev ($13,000)

25 hrs x sys analyst & PM ($2,500)

Server, transaction, and storage fees:

$7,750

Total:

$69,750 (279,000 ADA x $0.25/ADA)

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

Our project, "Launching Landano on Mainnet," offers substantial value for the investment of 279,000 ADA.

• Potential for Widespread Adoption: With the onboarding of the tens of thousands of new Landano users in both Ghana and Mozambique, Cardano stands to benefit from a substantial increase to its user base; if even a small percentage of these new users participate within the broader Cardano ecosystem, it will represents significant growth in the use of Cardano’s blockchain technology. This translates to both an increased user base and potential for more diverse applications on Cardano, enhancing the blockchain's utility and visibility in various sectors.
• Strategic Alignment with Cardano's Goals: Our project directly supports Cardano's strategic objective of expanding its ecosystem and fostering blockchain adoption. This alignment ensures that the investment is not just in a standalone project but in the broader goal of ecosystem growth.
• Cost-Effective Approach: Our budget is strategically allocated to ensure maximum impact per ADA spent. The emphasis on essential features within a three-month timeline ensures that the project delivers value quickly without unnecessary expenditures.
• Community and Future Development: By making our tools open-source, we are investing in the Cardano community. This not only fosters collaboration and innovation but also ensures the sustainability and continuous improvement of the tools we develop.

In conclusion, the investment in our project yields not only immediate tangible outputs in the form of a groundbreaking decentralized land rights application, but also long-term benefits for the Cardano ecosystem through increased adoption, community engagement, and alignment with strategic objectives.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund 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