An economic history of the Gezira Scheme 1900-1956

• Main Author: Rahim, Abdel Wahab Abdel
• Published: University of Manchester 1968
• Subjects: 338.1
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.530407

This work is a case study of the Gezira cotton scheme. The research falls in three major sections. The first part, which covers the period 1900-1939, is a detailed history covering (a) the origin of interest in the Sudan as a potential for the production of raw cotton, (b) the first venture by European private enterprise at Zeidab concession, (c) the serious shortage of raw cotton and the anxiety of Lancashire textile interests, (d) the combined various pressures upon the British Government to sanction the raising of a Sudan Government loan for the proposed Gezira scheme, and (e) experimentation and the Sudan Government relations with private enterprise. These developments were temporarily disturbed by the outbreak of hostilities in 1914. The war however did not bring a halt to the continuity of efforts to go ahead with the scheme and immediately after its termination funds were released by ~he British Government for the scheme and private enterprise reached an agreement with the Sudan Government. The drawbacks of the Government-Syndicate 1919 agreement did not become manifest until the completion of the work in 1925 When the Government felt that the scheme would not pay its way unless its share was increased a.t the expense of that of the Syndicate and the area was enlarged to produce more cotton in order to improve returns. Negotiations culminated in a new agreement in 1926 which henceforth defined the basic laws governing the Syndicate( 2) Government partnership, leaving little room for any conceivable major alterations, particularly as regards the financial and organisational arrangements. The second part of the research is a study of various aspects of the scheme. Chapter Five deals with the economic effects of the production and export of cotton on the country as a whole and on the Syndicate, Government and tenants in particular. It shows how each party was affected in relation to the others in both prosperous and lean years. It also shows how each party reacted to its gains from the scheme. Chapter Six is a detailed study of the tenants-management relations. It shows how those relations were gradually strained by the development of the scheme until a climax was reached in 1946 When for the first time the tenants entered into a general strike. The chapter also discussed the association of the tenents movement with the Nationalists' movement which marked the beginning of the infiltration of party politics into tenants ranks. Further the study covers the creation and history of various tenants organisations. The chapter on labour deals mainly With the complex problem of the supply of casual labour, which is mainly immigrant labour. Also the study covers developments connected with the settlement of large numbers of casual labourers within the scheme giving rise to a gradual change in the status of many of them and creating new social and economic problems. Chapter Eight is a study of the causes for the government decision to terminate the Syndicate's contract and how agreement was arrived at with regard to the organisation that was to take its place. Chapter Nine traces the history of the need for-the introduction of social development in the scheme which was first called for in the late 1930s, but it was not finally introduced. until after nationalisation in 1950. A general assessment of the scope of the first social development programme 1950-56 is also discussed. The concluding chapter is an attempt to discuss against the main body of the work the causes for the success of the scheme. At the same time the weaknesses are also pointed out and a final assessment is made.