PLANTATION ECONOMY
A plantation is a farm on which a particular type of crops grown. The Europeans established many plantations throughout Africa e.g. In colonial Tanganyika, they established sisal plantations along coastal areas, tea and coffee plantations in highlands such as Mbozi, Mbinga, Njombe, Rungwe, Bukoba, Kilimanjaro etc. tobacco plantations, tea plantation in Mufindi.
In Zanzibar, the Arabs owned clove and coconut plantations. In Zaire, they established rubber plantations owned by the Belgians. In Algeria, rubber plantations were owned by American capitalists.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANTATION ECONOMY
Existence of large farms occupied by a particular type of crop e.g. Sisal plantation, tea plantation etc.
Existence of migrant labor. The migrant laborers were mostly preferred because they weren’t violent and very cheap.
Land alienation existed during the establishment of large plantations. The natives were evacuated from their native land.
Existence of infrastructure to assist performance of plantations economy the railways constructed by Germans in colonial Tanganyika, roads etc.
Creation of labor reserve areas to ensure constant supply of labor e.g. In Tanganyika the labor e.g. In Tanganyika, the labor reserve areas included kigoma, Rukwa, Tunduru, Singida etc.
Uneven development between production areas and labor reserve areas. The production areas were well developed than the labor reserve areas.
Existence of labor recruiting agencies to feed the laborers in the plantations e.g. SWANLA (South West Africa Native Labor Authority) in Namibia, the SILABU (Sisal Labor Bureau) in Tanganyika since 1946.
