Who We Are

In the 1960’s, Roy Prosterman worked as an associate at a New York law firm before teaching at the University of Washington in 1965. In 1966, he wrote a law review article advocating democratic and market-friendly land reform, gaining the attention of U.S. officials and leading to his recruitment to implement his ideas in Vietnam.

His land-to-the-tiller program from 1970 to 1973 gave land rights to 1 million tenant farmers, increased rice production by 30 percent, and decreased Viet Cong recruitment by 80 percent. The New York Times praised it as "probably the most ambitious and progressive non-Communist land reform of the 20th century."

Roy’s success led him to work in Latin America, the Philippines, Pakistan, and dozens of other countries. In 1981, he founded the Rural Development Institute (RDI), now Landesa, the world’s first land rights NGO, to benefit those who, at the time, were referred to as the extremely poor.

Over the course of his illustrious career, Roy advised over 40 countries, published several books and articles, and received numerous awards, including the Gleitsman Foundation International Activist Award and the inaugural Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership. He was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. He died in 2025 at the age of 89.

In Memoriam: Roy Prosterman

Landesa was founded by a handful of Seattle-based lawyers seeking opportunities to help governments reform their land laws in the interest of impoverished rural communities.

Since its founding, Landesa’s impact has grown from the rice fields of Vietnam to more than 66 countries, with offices around the world. Our growth is a reflection of our vital mission: securing land rights as a tool for global prosperity and justice. Over the course of four decades, Landesa has helped strengthen the land rights of more than 700 million people.

With time have come important lessons. Early in its journey, Landesa recognized that women experience systemic discrimination legally and culturally, which is why we centered gender justice first and foremost in our work. We now apply a gender-transformative and intersectional approach across our work.

We continue to adapt to many changes to the field of land rights and the broader global landscape. Climate change, displacement, political unrest, new technologies, and more all impact our priorities and the way we approach our work.

In 2015, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s distinguished panel of independent international jurors selected Landesa as the recipient of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the largest humanitarian prize in the world, awarded to organizations that make extraordinary contributions to alleviating human suffering.