by Ras Benaiah Gicuki
Greetings of Love to all our beloved readers the world over.
Towards the end of last month, July, the whole world came
together to commemorate the 120th Birthday of His Imperial Majesty Qedamawe
Haile Selassie of Ethiopia.
To us at Shiriki Organization, it was more than a birthday celebration of a great leader; it was a moment of spiritual retreat in order to
reflect on our relationship with our Lord. Ever since accepting the responsibility of running
the business of the Imperial Government of Ethiopia at about 24 years of age,
His Majesty Haile Selassie I’s utterances have been of much needed guidance to entire humanity around the globe in virtually all fields of life. The copiousness of
His speeches, which are recorded in volumes in different languages, reveals the
King’s wide scope of His perspective and the depth and breadth of His
knowledge.
Therefore, it is the duty of every volunteer at Shiriki
Organization to study and seek overstanding
of the utterances of His Majesty, for besides HIM being a Government leader He
is also a Spiritual Father. It is a fact that we, who are called by His name,
Rastafari, authoritatively say that the speeches of the King of Kings are the Now Testament.
It is my pleasure, thus, on this post, to share these wise
sayings as He remarks and instructs us on matters pertaining to Agriculture.
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| H.I.M. Haile Selassie I, King of Kings & Lord of Lords. |
INAUGURATING THE IMPERIAL ETHIOPIAN COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
& MECHANICAL ARTS [Alem-Maya, Harar :: Thur. Jan. 16th 1958]
A country and a people that become self-sufficient by the
development of Agriculture can look forward with confidence to the future. Agriculture
is not only the chief among those fundamental and ancient tasks which have been
essential to the survival of mankind, but also ranks first among the
prerequisites to industrial and other developments.
History can afford us ample evidence that mankind abandoned
its nomadic way of life and developed a settled, communal economy only when man
became skilled and competent in agricultural techniques. From the beginnings of
recorded history, right up to the Middle Ages, and even as late as the
beginning of the Industrial Age in which we now live, agriculture has always
constituted the fundamental source of wealth for the human race.
Only when a solid agricultural base has been laid for our
country’s commercial and industrial growth can we ensure the attainment of the
ultimate goal of Our development program, namely, a high standard of living for
our people.
Commerce and industry, being concerned in the main with
development and distribution, can only develop and profit from existing resources,
but cannot actually create things which did not exist before.
Even in this nuclear age, in spite of the revolutionary
changes in man’s way of life which science has brought about, the problem of
further improving and perfecting agricultural methods continues to hold a position
of high priority for the human race.
It is hard to believe that a substitute
can be found for the occupation of agriculture – a sacred task graciously
conferred upon man by JAH to serve as the source of his wellbeing and basis of
his wealth.
Agriculture and industry are indispensable one to the other.
Only close cooperation between these two branches of knowledge can guarantee the
fulfillment of Our program of economic development for Our country.
As we have already made it clear to you in Our previous
statement, capital is an essential prerequisite for initiating all
undertakings, whatever their nature. We have, therefore, made credit available
for you which, when properly used, would enable you to achieve your development
objective in the fields of agriculture,
forestry, stock breeding, health services, and in the sphere of other
development programmes.
AIDING THE FARMER
Nov. 3rd 1959
For those of you who possess the land and labour but lack
capital, we have made credit available at low interest. For those of you who
have the necessary finance but do not possess land to work on, We have, in
accordance with Our proclamation which entitled every Ethiopian to ownership of
land, established offices in every province through which you may be able to
acquire land. Those who have neither land nor money will be granted land and a
financial loan at low interest. For those of you who possess the land, who have
financial resources and manpower We have made experts available to furnish you
with the necessary guidance and advice in your various undertakings. With the
knowledge that unity and cooperation are themselves strength, take advantage of
the possibilities that We have opened to you.
ENCOURAGING AGRICULTURE
Nov. 3rd 1959
Agriculture, the backbone of the nation’s economy, has
received its proper share of attention in Our Government’s planning. Intensive
efforts are being made to improve farming techniques. The cotton project at
Tendaho is moving out of the experimental stage. Enlarged veterinarian services
will improve the quality of Ethiopia’s cattle, thus multiplying many times over
the wealth which exists in the country’s livestock population…
A coordinated locust control project, undertaken in common
with neighbouring countries, promises to reduce, if not immediately to
eliminate entirely, the ravages which this insect pest has inflicted in the
past upon Ethiopia’s crops. Grain storage facilities are being constructed
which will serve to guard against the economic and social disturbances which
arise when shortages occur. Measures will shortly be proposed to Parliament for
action to be taken to preserve, for the benefit of present and future
generations, the nation’s forests which are not only valuable in themselves as
a source of wood, but act as nature’s guardian against the forces of erosion,
which, unchecked, can transform fertile areas into barren and sterile desert.
ARBOUR DAY; AFFORESTATION
Jul. 19th 1958
It is a matter of great concern for Us that the forest
wealth which God in His mercy has bestowed upon Our country is thus being
continually reduced and wasted. Hence it becomes the duty and obligation of
every single Ethiopian to become aware of the tremendous industrial and
agricultural advantages to be derived from Our forest resources, and to
practice tree-planting, in order that Our hills and plains which have been
stripped of their wooded cover may once again be clothed in their green mantle.
The increasing pace of deforestation and the growing dearth
of timber in Ethiopia, caused by unregulated tree-cutting and the failure to
replace these by new plantings, give Us occasion of anxiety that a severe
economic problem will confront the coming generations. It is essential that
steps be taken here and now to stop this wastage and check this destruction.
It is Our wish and Our desire that each and every citizen of
Our country follow the example We set on this Arbour Day in planting this tree,
and himself plant as many as he can, for his own benefit as well as for the
benefit of future generations.
AGRICULTURAL DEVELEOPMENT CENTER IN AWASSA
Jul. 23rd 1960
Every structure must be built on a solid foundation, for
those constructed otherwise would soon collapse. The proclamation by which We
made land grants to the entire Ethiopian people is the foundation of this
scheme. Recipients of land grants as well as those who had previously owned
their own holding do not by mere owning of such land satisfy the requirements.
They must make proper use of the land not only for their own benefit but as
well to that of the people – We shall not permit any land to be fallow.
Our forefathers had fought to preserve the independence of
Our country so that we may be able to exploit its rich resources, thereby
enriching ourselves but not so that it may lay barren as to excite the envy of
others and invite again the usurper.
Therefore, in order to escape from such a
catastrophe which become a lazy leader and lazy followers, it is Our duty to
teach Our people to labour unceasingly for the development of Our country and
to struggle for the attainment of a decent standard of living. For, there is no
need of education to the wise nor doctors for the healthy.
AGRICULTURE & LAND REFORM
Nov. 2nd 1961
Ethiopia cannot, as some would suggest, look to industry for
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. Industrialization is not an alternative to the
development of agriculture; rather the development of agriculture is the
essential pre-condition to the growth of industry.
The fundamental obstacle to the realization 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.
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