Roy Prosterman
Encyclopedia
Roy Prosterman is Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of Washington
and the founder of the Rural Development Institute (RDI)
, which changed its name to Landesa in January 2011. He is also active in the fields of land reform, rural development, and foreign aid. He has provided advice and conducted research in more than 40 countries in Asia, the former Soviet Union
, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Prosterman has received many awards and distinctions, the 2003 Gleitsman International Activist Award, a Schwab Foundation Outstanding Global Social Entrepreneur and most recently, the inaugural Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership where he was lauded as “Champion for the World’s Poor” as well as nominations for the The World Food Prize
, Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
, and Alcan Prize for Sustainability. Prosterman is a frequent guest speaker and presenter at world forums on poverty alleviation and is a frequent published author in nonfiction and fiction.
Prosterman received his law degree from Harvard Law School
.
as thousands of impoverished rural farmers desperate to feed their families joined the Viet Cong.
He had an idea. He realized that giving poor farmers land rights to the land they were farming would transform the lives of these families, the country, and ultimately the world. It was just an idea. Before he know it, Prosterman was standing in a rice paddy in the midst of the Vietnam War testing his idea through legislation—the Land to the Tiller
program. That legislation gave land rights to one million tenant farmers, allowed them to feed their families, cut Viet Cong recruitment by 80%, and increased rice production in the country by 30%.
It was also the birth of the Rural Development Institute (RDI)
, now called Landesa, an international nonprofit organization working to secure land rights for the world’s poorest.
Today, nearly forty years after Prosterman stood in the rice paddies of Vietnam, Landesa has worked in 40 countries throughout the world to secure land rights for more than 400,000,000 people.
Prosterman, now Chair Emeritus of Landesa, has helped Landesa grow into a global organization with field offices in China
, India
, and Indonesia
, as well as legal aid centers throughout the former Soviet Union
. Landesa is now sought after by foreign governments, foreign aid agencies, and NGOs alike for its insight and expertise on land issues.
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
and the founder of the Rural Development Institute (RDI)
Rural Development Institute (RDI)
Founded as the Rural Development Institute in 1967, Landesa is a nonprofit organization that partners with governments and local organizations to ensure that the world’s poorest families have secure rights over the land they till. Landesa has helped more than 100 million poor families gain legal...
, which changed its name to Landesa in January 2011. He is also active in the fields of land reform, rural development, and foreign aid. He has provided advice and conducted research in more than 40 countries in Asia, the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Prosterman has received many awards and distinctions, the 2003 Gleitsman International Activist Award, a Schwab Foundation Outstanding Global Social Entrepreneur and most recently, the inaugural Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership where he was lauded as “Champion for the World’s Poor” as well as nominations for the The World Food Prize
World Food Prize
The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.-The Prize:...
, Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is an American non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by hotel entrepreneur Conrad N. Hilton. It remained relatively small until his death on January 3, 1979 when it was named the principal beneficiary of his estate...
, and Alcan Prize for Sustainability. Prosterman is a frequent guest speaker and presenter at world forums on poverty alleviation and is a frequent published author in nonfiction and fiction.
Prosterman received his law degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
Founding of Landesa (formerly the Rural Development Institute (RDI))
Forty years ago, Prosterman was working at a prestigious Wall Street law firm, but was troubled by the violence and unrest he saw in the world—particularly the escalating Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as thousands of impoverished rural farmers desperate to feed their families joined the Viet Cong.
He had an idea. He realized that giving poor farmers land rights to the land they were farming would transform the lives of these families, the country, and ultimately the world. It was just an idea. Before he know it, Prosterman was standing in a rice paddy in the midst of the Vietnam War testing his idea through legislation—the Land to the Tiller
Land to the Tiller (South Vietnam)
Land to the Tiller was a land reform program attempted in South Vietnam in 1970 at the height of the Vietnam War.-References:*Mark Moyar, . Presented at 1996 Vietnam Symposium , 18-20 April 1996....
program. That legislation gave land rights to one million tenant farmers, allowed them to feed their families, cut Viet Cong recruitment by 80%, and increased rice production in the country by 30%.
It was also the birth of the Rural Development Institute (RDI)
Rural Development Institute (RDI)
Founded as the Rural Development Institute in 1967, Landesa is a nonprofit organization that partners with governments and local organizations to ensure that the world’s poorest families have secure rights over the land they till. Landesa has helped more than 100 million poor families gain legal...
, now called Landesa, an international nonprofit organization working to secure land rights for the world’s poorest.
Today, nearly forty years after Prosterman stood in the rice paddies of Vietnam, Landesa has worked in 40 countries throughout the world to secure land rights for more than 400,000,000 people.
Prosterman, now Chair Emeritus of Landesa, has helped Landesa grow into a global organization with field offices in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, as well as legal aid centers throughout the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Landesa is now sought after by foreign governments, foreign aid agencies, and NGOs alike for its insight and expertise on land issues.
Awards
- 2010 University of Chicago Public Service Award
- 2003 Gleitsman Foundation International Activist Award
- 2002 Recognized as top Social entrepreneur by Schwab Foundation for Social EntrepreneurshipSchwab Foundation for Social EntrepreneurshipThe Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship provides platforms at the country, regional and global levels to promote social entrepreneurship.- History :...
- 1993 and 2000 Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
nominee