BRUSSELS, JANUARY 28, 1949.

As the new year has arrived, so has new problems to deal with. Since 1948, the Minister of Colonies, Pierre Wigny, has expressed his concerns that the colony of the Congo and Ruanda-Urundi need further attention from the government. His concerns are especially dedicated towards developing these colonies, as technological progress in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure, and healthcare, have led to large growth in the number of natives in these regions. Wigny believes that, unless Belgium dedicates a share of its budget to developing the Congo and Ruanda-Urundi, these colonies will be potentially disgruntled in the future. In order to avoid that occurrence, he has proposed the following:

The Agricultural Development Initiative for the Congo 1949-1955.

The verbose Agricultural Development Initiative for the Congo, 1949-1955 (IDAC-49-55/LVC-49-55) was first developed in 1948, during the debates of the Spaak-Eyskens Programs. At that moment, the Belgian administration sought remedies to simultaneously curtail inflation and increase the competitivity of Belgian commodities in the global market. While agricultural goods were modestly addressed in the National Modernization Program (PNM), the provisions were exclusively for the metropolis, and not for any colonial territories. Recognizing the untenable state of current farming practices in the Congo due to an increasing population and soil erosion, coupled with the need to simply modernize the colony, the Belgian government has decided to meet with the Minister of Colonies, Pierre Wigny, and the Governor-General of the Congo, Monsieur Eugène Jungers, to begin the new agricultural development initiative, tasked to function from 1949 to 1955.

The IDAC is based on two implementations – one focused on the natives, and one focused on the Belgian nationals. The first includes the paysannat scheme, while the second includes the rationalization of agriculture through large-scale commercial farms.

The Paysannat Scheme

The paysannat scheme, also known as the Native Settlement Scheme, has been undergoing for a while now, albeit at a limited, small-scale pace. The concerns with reconstruction and economic development have meant that the government had little interest in the Congo – up to now. In collaboration with the National Institute for Agronomic Study of the Belgian Congo (INEAC/NILCO), the paysannat program will implement modern agricultural practices for the natives while, at the same time, respecting their cultural traditions. It is key to note here that this preservation comes with the intention of avoiding results and unrests, rather than an innate desire to preserve the cultures of the ethnic groups in the Congo.

Therefore, with these key directives in mind, the paysannat scheme will be developed in January, 1949. It will be implemented through a systematic allocation of fields (lotissements) throughout the entire colony, following these procedures, highlighted in the document presented at a cabinet meeting:

Starting from January to May of 1949, the Ministry of Colonies is set to conduct a comprehensive survey across all regions of the Belgian Congo. This project will have a budget of US$8.5 million and has the overall objective of systematically cataloging information on soil fertility, climatic conditions, and other conditions related to farming and livestock. Following this survey, the land will be studied by INEAC from the standpoint of both land tenure and political regime until June.

All land in the Congo that is characterized by the presence of traditional, non-private property land tenure, such as communal clans, a strategic approach will have to be adopted. These areas will be divided into parallel bands of corridors to accommodate cultivators. Within these areas, land will be rotated and fallowed, aligned with the farming cycles of the goods grown in a specific area. These fields may be allotted to individuals or families. As a general guideline to address proportionality, it has been defined that a family of four natives may have 1.7 hectares of land. The Ministry of Colonies will receive recommendations regarding further proportional distribution. The defined budget for this project is US$5.18 million per year.

The objective is not to have a final allocation of property rights, but rather to confer the right of usufruct that is indefinite in time but defined in space. This approach means that the colonial government can uphold the principle of the indivisibility of the land and stabilize the rural populace. Due to a lack of migration, the introduction of improved farming techniques will also be facilitated, increasing output. Pages 66-68.

It is important to note that this paysannat scheme will have a series of other possibilities that will be addressed throughout the years with the initially-defined budget. The formation of new communities and the settlement of natives will form a wide range of necessities, including: (1) the establishment of agricultural processing; (2) transportation and organization of goods; (3) the creation of cooperatives; (4) the establishment of social centers; and, (5) the education of the youth. Through these opportunities, the government has a way of inculcating the values of Belgian civilization upon the natives and, in a straightforward manner, build a small, albeit able, cadre of Congolese collaborators, as is being done with the évolues.

For this final purpose, INEAC will begin a small pilot program to train around 1,000 Congolese technicians in modern agricultural techniques, with the adoption of new farming methods such as proper spacing, application of selected seeds, crop rotations, fertilizers, and so on. These technicians, whose training is predicted to conclude in January 1951, will have the objective of traveling throughout the Congo to apply these techniques, increasing output, efficiency, and modernizing the natives.

The Bas-Congo Agricultural Encouragement Scheme

The government also conceded on the demands of Belgian citizens residing in the colony by drafting and approving the Bas-Congo Agricultural Encouragement Scheme (PEABC/LSRBC). The objective, with strong consultation by Belgian landowners and industrialists, was to establish large-scale, White-owned agricultural enterprises for industrial farming of cash crops, including cotton, cocoa, and tobacco, in the province of Bas-Congo. This economic program will include a series of encouragements for White Belgians to invest their funds in these companies, while the government supplies technical aid and capital.

The project includes heavy subsidization of companies in order to encourage the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies such as mechanization, fertilizers, crop rotation, shorter fallowing periods and farming of specialized varieties. All of these objectives are planned to be achieved by 1955 with a total annual funding of US$9.25 million. It will also count with the collaboration of INEAC, which will provide technical support and key information to help these private enterprises – if they prove themselves to be efficient and reliable – to improve themselves.

The Governor-General will perform concessions so these enterprises can establish themselves and, in exchange, will gradually increase the rent price for this land through a flat tax rate as these companies establish themselves.

These companies will be granted consolidated farm holdings, a measure that is expected to already begin boosting output. The natives inhabiting the lands will be given financial compensation or employment in these companies – whatever they prefer. The companies are also mandated by law to be owned by Belgian nationals, which essentially means white individuals. The highest and middle management positions are also reserved exclusively to Belgians, while roles in low management and labor will be allocated to the Congolese workforce. The incoming 29-01-49 Decree of the Belgian Congo, to be enacted on January 29, will allow foreign investors to have up to 8.25% of ownership in any farming company located in the Bas-Congo province.

Due to the influence of former Governor-General Pierre Ryckmans), the government has decided to refine and readjust the current colonial legislation to allow for the creation of special administrative roles within these companies. This adjustment has the objective of accommodating évolues in higher-level management positions, giving them social prestige and financial compensation. There are no guarantees that these évolues will be seen in a positive light by Belgian nationals, but, without a gradual accommodation of these élite figures, it is unlikely that Belgium will be able to maintain its grip on the colony.

The colonial office has also extended invitations to some évolues to participate in this program in higher-level management positions, including Joseph Kasa-Vubu and Cyrille Adoula.

A minor adjustment to colonial law has allowed évolues who participate in the lower management of these companies to obtain a civic merit card with greater ease, with the overall objective of addressing their concerns that being an évolue is “all work and no play”. This final measure has frustrated some of the more conservative elements in Belgium, who have accused the government of attempting to disrupt a tradition of management that has been ongoing for half a century. Conservative elements such as Frans Van Cauwelaert and Victor Leemans have argued that the social intermixing of Belgians and Congolese might lead to revolts in the future.

SUMMARY

• The Belgian government has decided to adopt two major economic programs in the Belgian Congo: the Agricultural Development Initiative for the Congo, 1949-1955 (IDAC-49-55/LVC-49-55); and the Bas-Congo Agricultural Encouragement Scheme (PEABC/LSRBC).

• Primarily, the Belgian government will use a budget of US$8.5 million to survey the entire Belgian Congo with an emphasis on soil fertility, climatic conditions, and other items related to farming.

• The first project is, in essence, the allotment of fields in the entire colony for the Congolese to work on. They serve to consolidate rural families; adopt modern farming techniques; and increase agricultural output with a funding of US$5.18 million.

• The second project is the development of industrial farming in the Bas-Congo province, encouraging white entrepreneurs to farm cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and cocoa. An adjustment in legislation will allow investments of foreigners and ownership of up to 8.25% of these farming companies. These industrial farms will have the most up-to-date technologies and techniques, backed by the National Institute for Agronomic Study of the Belgian Congo. This project will be funded with US$9.25 million.

• Legal adjustments have been made to allow évolues to participate in these projects in special administrative positions, allowing them further riches and social prestige. Évolues who participate in low-level management positions will be allowed easier access to civic cards, demonstrating their "civilized" behavior. Notable évolues that have been invited include Joseph Kasa-Vubu and Cyrille Adoula.

• Total funding for all of these projects is US$22,930,000.00.