A Breakfast Presentation by ROY PROSTERMAN, Founder, Rural Development Institute & Professor Emeritus of Law, University of Washington

Land is the single most important asset for the majority of the world's poor, and defines their access to shelter, income, education, healthcare, as well as economic and nutritional security. Rapid urban development in many developing countries has led to huge swaths of land being seized from farmers without adequate compensation. Such 'land grabs" have resulted in social unrest, weakened the security of farmers rights, and hampered development in the countryside. How can countries like China and India ensure the security of land rights? What reforms are necessary to guarantee this?

Roy Prosterman is the founder and Chair Emeritus of the Rural Development Institute (RDI) which works to secure land rights for the world's poorest people by partnering with developing countries to design and implement laws, policies and programs. In the 40 years since RDI's work began, it has helped secure land rights for more than 100 million families in more than 40 countries. Professor Prosterman is an expert on democratic land reform, rural development and foreign aid. He has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize, named Outstanding Global Social Entrepreneur by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and recipient of the inaugural Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership. Professor Prosterman is also Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of Washington, and graduated from the University of Chicago and Harvard Law School.