In brief
Roy L. Prosterman, an influential lawyer and land reform activist, passed away on February 27 at his home in Seattle at the age of 89. He was the founder of Landesa, a crucial organization in the fight for land rights, which announced his death without stating a cause.
Throughout his nearly 60-year career, Prosterman worked diligently with governments across 60 countries, including nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, to develop policy frameworks for granting land ownership to peasant families. His methodology varied, involving expropriation with compensation or outright donations of government-owned land. Prosterman viewed land rights as essential for elevating the status of the millions of rural poor, often advocating for land redistribution in both authoritarian regimes like Vietnam and emerging democracies such as India. His legacy includes a lasting impact that has lifted millions out of poverty.The organization he co-founded, initially established as the Rural Development Institute at the University of Washington in 1981, eventually became independent in 1992 and continues to advocate for land rights. Renowned economist Joseph Stiglitz noted in his preface to Prosterman's edited work, "One Billion Rising: Law, Land and the Alleviation of Global Poverty," that Prosterman was a pioneer in emphasizing the vital role of land access in economic upliftment.
