Chapter 523: Drought Conditions
By this logic, East Africa could be considered a quasi-great power—a great power compared to most ordinary nations, but not when facing the top-tier countries.
This position was similar to the Far Eastern Empire in Ernst's previous life. While the Far East and the United States were clearly the two emerging superpowers, the Far East still hadn't met all the metrics needed to reach the highest tier.
…
December 3, 1879
"Your Highness, according to our archives, the total number of immigrants to East Africa is over 14.6 million, and the registered number of Black slaves is over 13 million."
"These are only the documented figures and can serve as a rough reference for East Africa's population. There are, of course, discrepancies compared to the actual number—such as unrecorded births, or deaths from war and disease."
"There's also a lot of missing and incorrect data due to the age of many documents. Some records have been damaged or lost over time, which has made our work much more difficult."
With that, Ernst gained a general understanding of the population. Immigration alone amounted to around 15 million. That meant—excluding the Black population—East Africa's total population likely had doubled, even tripled, reaching between 30 and 40 million.
As for the Black population, it was also significant. The last count a few years ago was 22 million. Around 3 million had since been exported, meaning the current population of Blacks in East Africa was just under 20 million.
Among them, 13 million were officially registered as East African "laborers"—a further reminder of East Africa's true nature as a slave empire.
"When do you expect the census to be completed?" Ernst asked.
"Probably around March next year. It's a massive undertaking. We need cooperation from all levels of government, and we must conduct extensive calculations and reviews to finalize the numbers," said von der Leyen.
Population counting was no small task. The previous figures von der Leyen provided to Ernst were the easiest to obtain—immigration and slave transaction numbers were all officially recorded.
It was like balancing a ledger: East Africa had its books. Immigrant and slave numbers were fixed and added to the tally as soon as they arrived.
But this only accounted for how many came to East Africa. What happened after was harder to track. Many immigrants had died from unfamiliar climates, disease, and other hazards.
"Take your time," Ernst said, "but be accurate. Make sure to strictly prevent people from hiding population data."
In a country like East Africa, hidden population wasn't unthinkable. These were essentially undocumented individuals—likely Black laborers not officially recognized. Local governments might secretly increase their slave numbers for convenience or to cut corners.
"We'll be careful about that, Your Highness."
Ernst sipped his tea and said, "Don't worry about offending anyone. If it's Blacks we're talking about, it's not a serious issue. But for fairness, any unregistered Blacks must be reassigned by the central government."
This highlighted the difference between central and local governments. Local officials might manipulate numbers for performance or profit. It was the central authority's job to enforce discipline.
Still, Ernst was lenient regarding excess hidden slaves—because, in East Africa, they had no rights. If they were exploited, that was simply their misfortune.
"How bad is the drought now?" Ernst asked.
"The coastal plains are still under control. It's the highland dryland farming areas that are suffering more. But thanks to the drought-resistant crops we've planted there, the damage isn't catastrophic," von der Leyen replied.
He continued, "The coastal agricultural zone has benefited greatly from our recent investments in reservoirs and irrigation. During the long rainy season, we filled the reservoirs to capacity. That's why we're still able to irrigate for now."
"But the dry season after the long rains typically lasts four to five months. We've already been releasing water continuously, and capacity has dropped by about 20%."
"By the time the short rainy season arrives, our reservoirs will be down to 60–70% capacity. This unusual drought is putting pressure on our systems. But if we can hold out until March, the situation should improve."
"As for the highlands, the main issue is disorganized water infrastructure. It's not as stable as on the coast."
Large-scale water projects inevitably disrupt local ecosystems—especially rivers and wetlands. That's why the highland regions were faring worse than the coast.
Still, Ernst believed environmental compromises were necessary. If humans never changed the land, they might as well go back to living in trees.
He told his officials, "Waterworks may cause short-term setbacks, but the long-term benefits are what really matter. This could shape East Africa's agricultural success for the next hundred years."
Von der Leyen found this a bit hard to follow. To him, water infrastructure was obviously a good thing—why was His Highness talking about downsides?
But that was a matter of perspective. Ernst's concerns about environmental impact were ahead of their time. In the 19th century, humanity was deeply confident—believing in total dominion over nature. This mindset was one of the key results of the Industrial Revolution.
In the 20th century, people began to question whether harmony with nature was more important than domination. They realized that "man versus nature" was not a sustainable idea. As technology advanced, so too did the realization of human fragility.
By the 21st century, "environmentalism" had emerged—though Ernst called it "misguided" when it went too far. In the past, people worshipped science. In the 21st century, many began to question it again.
In the end, society's mindset always followed the times. Human nature wasn't as strong as people thought—when hardship came, extremism followed.
The 19th century, however, was an age of growth and optimism. People in the Western world felt confident and satisfied. Future problems and side effects were often ignored.
Ernst saw his mission as patching these blind spots—for East Africa's sake.
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