Chapter 80: Agriculture
As the "purge" movement gained momentum, a substantial amount of land became available for development. With the influx of future immigrants, this land was destined to be fully utilized.
Presently, the agricultural system in the East African colonies remained relatively disorganized due to the scattered population and diverse crop cultivation practices. Staple foods included wheat, rice, and corn, with recent attempts to introduce millet cultivation in Kenya, a concept Ernst emphasized. Given Kenya's dry climate, particularly in the north, millet proved to be a drought-resistant crop, making it a strategic choice.
In a previous life, East Africa had been a significant millet-producing region. The local climate was exceptionally suited for millet cultivation, thanks to its tropical grassland climate, ideal for growing "grass." Millet emerged as a domesticated crop following the cultivation of dogtail grass.
In addition to food crops, the colony cultivated a variety of economic crops due to its tropical location. Sisal, coffee, rubber, cocoa, vegetables, and fruits thrived in this environment. While East Africa could undoubtedly sustain its own food and clothing needs with such diversity, Ernst envisioned the colony's future industrialization. To achieve this, agricultural modernization reforms and the full utilization of economies of scale were essential.
In this era, the "small peasant economy" was a dead end, incapable of sustaining robust development or self-preservation. It would inevitably succumb to the competitive advantage of large-scale agricultural production. Capitalist agriculture, characterized by centralized land management, was the model of choice—comparable to the "Prussian model" or the "American model."
Ernst held absolute land ownership in the East African colonies, negating the need for extensive top-down reforms akin to Prussia. However, unlike American manors, he did not exploit the local population. Instead, Ernst adopted the model of large farms where all land belonged to him, and immigrants worked as agricultural laborers on his property. Payment was based on their labor—more work, more pay; less work, less pay.
The East African colonies were divided into distinct agricultural regions based on climate and rainfall, with specific crops cultivated in each area. The Great Lakes region, Lake Solon region, North Malawi Lake region, East Malawi Lake region, central plateau region, and southern Kenya predominantly focused on wheat cultivation. This choice was influenced by the dietary preferences of immigrants, who hailed from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Far East, and North China, all accustomed to pasta. Furthermore, the European market favored wheat-based foods.
The eastern coastal areas and the coastal plain in eastern Kenya centered their efforts on rice cultivation. Millet and animal husbandry flourished in the eastern prairie region, Great Lakes region, northern plateau region, and northern Kenya. Both wheat and animal husbandry served as significant income sources for the East African colonies, besides cash crops.
Wheat and animal husbandry products held a strong market in Europe, even if not all found their way there. The Arabs, relying heavily on commerce and nomadism, offered an additional market option, given their limited agricultural output.
Ernst disregarded the Far East due to its current economic limitations and the highly competitive nature of its agricultural production.
Despite the high yields of corn and cassava, both had certain drawbacks, such as higher processing costs compared to wheat. Given the dietary habits of immigrants and European market demands, wheat remained the primary focus.
Cash crops played a vital role in the colony's economy, with sisal being the largest contributor. Additionally, Ernst planned to introduce oil crops, rubber, tea, cotton, and coffee—five key economic crops. Cloves and pyrethrum also played essential roles.
Cotton cultivation presented no challenges since it was a well-established practice in East Africa. As for oil crops, East Africa offered a wide selection, including peanuts, sesame, soybeans, castor, and small sunflowers.
Rubber plantations primarily thrived in areas with abundant water, such as coastal regions and around the Great Lakes. Tea cultivation took place in mountainous and high-altitude regions, focusing primarily on black tea, suitable for the European market.
Ernst had considered expanding into the flower industry and various tropical fruits and vegetables, which had been successful in a past life. However, technical limitations and the inability to facilitate large-scale, long-distance transportation hindered these endeavors.
Animal husbandry was another area of potential growth, but the lack of efficient fresh-keeping technologies posed a challenge. Without these technologies, large-scale development of animal husbandry was unfeasible in East Africa, despite the region's suitability.
(End of Chapter 80)