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| Selected Speeches |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
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| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Selected Speeches |
| Haile Selassie the First - November 2, 1961 |
| Agriculture and Land Reforms Nov. 02, 1961 |
... We may refer to the Committee on Land Reform. Ethiopia has been,
throughout her history, an agricultural nation. The basis of the livelihood
for the great majority of the Ethiopian people rests and will always remain
in the land. Ethiopia today, as the most superficial review of here trade
and revenue statistics will amply attest, is largely dependent upon the
products of her farmers for the finances essential to the achievement of
the Government's programmes. The expansion of Ethiopia's educational
system, the eradication of disease, the raising of the standard of living of
her people, the provision of a strong arm for her self-defence, all of these,
this country's very life, depend upon the existence of the means whereby
these programmes may be financed. We must concentrate increasingly on
the agricultural sector as holding the greatest hope for expanding the
revenue which the Government must dispose of in financing the nation's
development. Coffee, for example, has for many years been a highly
important earner of foreign exchange for Ethiopia. But coffee is now in
over-supply in the world markets. Today, other products are gradually
increasing in importance in Ethiopia's export trade = hides and skins,
cereals, oilseeds = all the products of an agrarian economy. This process
must be accelerated.
Ethiopia cannot, as some would suggest, look to industry for these funds.
Without agricultural expansion, industrial growth is impossible.. Great
strides, it is true, have been made in introducing industries into Ethiopia in
recent years. But in any less-developed agrarian country, possessing only
limited possibilities for selling the products of its factories in world export
markets, industry can grow only if there exists an increasingly prosperous
rural consumer population. Industrialisation is not an alternative to the
development of agriculture; rather, the development of agriculture is the
essential pre-condition to the growth of industry.
throughout her history, an agricultural nation. The basis of the livelihood
for the great majority of the Ethiopian people rests and will always remain
in the land. Ethiopia today, as the most superficial review of here trade
and revenue statistics will amply attest, is largely dependent upon the
products of her farmers for the finances essential to the achievement of
the Government's programmes. The expansion of Ethiopia's educational
system, the eradication of disease, the raising of the standard of living of
her people, the provision of a strong arm for her self-defence, all of these,
this country's very life, depend upon the existence of the means whereby
these programmes may be financed. We must concentrate increasingly on
the agricultural sector as holding the greatest hope for expanding the
revenue which the Government must dispose of in financing the nation's
development. Coffee, for example, has for many years been a highly
important earner of foreign exchange for Ethiopia. But coffee is now in
over-supply in the world markets. Today, other products are gradually
increasing in importance in Ethiopia's export trade = hides and skins,
cereals, oilseeds = all the products of an agrarian economy. This process
must be accelerated.
Ethiopia cannot, as some would suggest, look to industry for these funds.
Without agricultural expansion, industrial growth is impossible.. Great
strides, it is true, have been made in introducing industries into Ethiopia in
recent years. But in any less-developed agrarian country, possessing only
limited possibilities for selling the products of its factories in world export
markets, industry can grow only if there exists an increasingly prosperous
rural consumer population. Industrialisation is not an alternative to the
development of agriculture; rather, the development of agriculture is the
essential pre-condition to the growth of industry.
| Farmers and the Land |
The fundamental obstacle to the realisation of the full measure of
Ethiopia's agricultural potential has been, simply stated, lack of security in
the land. The fruits of the farmer's labour must be enjoyed by him whose
toil has produced the crop. The essence of land reform is, while fully
respecting the principle of private ownership, that landless people must
have the opportunity to possess their own land, that the position of tenant
farmers must be improved, and that the system of taxation applying to
land holdings must be the same for all. It is Our aim that every Ethiopian
own his own land, and, in implementation of this principle, We have
Ourself set the example by ordering that certain lands in Arussi Province
heretofore administered by Our Ministry of the Imperial court be
distributed to the tenants working on them, against payment by each man
only of the nominal fees charged for the transfer and the registration of
this property in his own name. This has been the basic objective of
virtually every modern programme of land reform; this is the ultimate goal
of the study now being undertaken by the Committee on Land Reform.
Programmes of land reform, having as their aim the securing of the
ownership of the land to those who till it, have been implemented in
numerous countries adhering to various political and economic systems.
By whatever reasoning these programmes have been justified, they have all
rested, at bottom, on the belief that it is the responsibility of government to
ensure the development of the nation's economy, the well-being of its
people, and the attainment of social progress and social justice. If initiative
elsewhere is lacking, the burden passes to government.
Land reform, which is in large part a social programme, is wholly in
keeping with this fundamental principle, a principle which has already
found ample expression in Ethiopian life. Today, for example, a large
portion of the means of production is owned by the Government. This is
not say that Ethiopia opposes private ownership, or that the Government
shall not continue to encourage and facilitate private investment, both
domestic and foreign. This does mean, however, that to the extent that
private initiative is not forthcoming, the Government has the solemn
responsibility itself to act. In embarking upon a sweeping programme of
land reform, the Government is only taking those measures essential to the
social progress of the Ethiopian nation which it is its duty to undertake.
Ethiopia's agricultural potential has been, simply stated, lack of security in
the land. The fruits of the farmer's labour must be enjoyed by him whose
toil has produced the crop. The essence of land reform is, while fully
respecting the principle of private ownership, that landless people must
have the opportunity to possess their own land, that the position of tenant
farmers must be improved, and that the system of taxation applying to
land holdings must be the same for all. It is Our aim that every Ethiopian
own his own land, and, in implementation of this principle, We have
Ourself set the example by ordering that certain lands in Arussi Province
heretofore administered by Our Ministry of the Imperial court be
distributed to the tenants working on them, against payment by each man
only of the nominal fees charged for the transfer and the registration of
this property in his own name. This has been the basic objective of
virtually every modern programme of land reform; this is the ultimate goal
of the study now being undertaken by the Committee on Land Reform.
Programmes of land reform, having as their aim the securing of the
ownership of the land to those who till it, have been implemented in
numerous countries adhering to various political and economic systems.
By whatever reasoning these programmes have been justified, they have all
rested, at bottom, on the belief that it is the responsibility of government to
ensure the development of the nation's economy, the well-being of its
people, and the attainment of social progress and social justice. If initiative
elsewhere is lacking, the burden passes to government.
Land reform, which is in large part a social programme, is wholly in
keeping with this fundamental principle, a principle which has already
found ample expression in Ethiopian life. Today, for example, a large
portion of the means of production is owned by the Government. This is
not say that Ethiopia opposes private ownership, or that the Government
shall not continue to encourage and facilitate private investment, both
domestic and foreign. This does mean, however, that to the extent that
private initiative is not forthcoming, the Government has the solemn
responsibility itself to act. In embarking upon a sweeping programme of
land reform, the Government is only taking those measures essential to the
social progress of the Ethiopian nation which it is its duty to undertake.
| Chapter VIII |
| Agriculture |
| ... The fruits of the farmer's labour must be enjoyed by him whose toil has produced the ceop... Without agricultural expansion, industrial growth is impossible. |