Agricultural Reform 1855-1964 The science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products.

Alexander II Emancipation of the Serfs 1861 – laid a platform for all further agricultural reform. By 1917 peasant access to land in terms of quality and quantity, was still an issue meaning the reform of 1861 was not a success.

Alexander III Medele'ev Tariff (1891) - exportation of large amounts of grain even when there was a prospect of a domestic shortage and starvation. Vyshnegradskii's policies potentially led to the 1891 famine, so he was replaced by Witte. By 1893, Russian economic activity still revolved around agricultural production. Witte wanted to fix this by investing more heavily in industry substituting agriculture  Caused suspicion and consternation among sections of the Russian elite. "Great Spurt" Railways aided industrial and agricultural expansion of Siberia. Witte paid little attention to agriculture which caused rural discontent and distrust from other members of the government. Key reason for his downfall in 1903 Peasant Land Bank 1883

Nicholas II Lack of attention to agriculture meant it was more likely for further periods of starvation Bad harvests First world war also caused shortages of food (price of food and fuel quadrupled in the first 2 years of the conflict) Stolypin looked more at agriculture by cancelling redemption payments and establishing land banks. This helped combat land hunger (not producing enough food to sustain ones self) Positive impact and agricultural productions started increasing  Unused or poorly utilized land was made available to the Peasant Land Bank, peasants could then buy the land from the bank on favorable terms Consolidation of land Expansion in joining of wealthier class  By 1914, 2 million peasants left village communes, short on rural labour

Lenin November 1917 Decree on Land – This involved the division of private landholdings that were handed over to the peasants War Communism – Nationalisation (state control) & state monopoly of markets for goods and services. Caused unrest as it meant that individuals lost the freedom to produce and sell goods at a time, price and place that suited them Forced requisitioning of agricultural produce.  Grain requisitioning was the most hated policy as it involved taking away surpluses of food and grain. Majority of food would be taken away from a household to feed the army and urban workers Starvation in rural areas New Economic Policy - An end to grain requisitioning and a return to peasants being allowed to sell surpluses in local markets. "Scissors crisis" Supply of food increase at a rate that far exceeded demand, swift fall in prices Peasants reluctant to sell surpluses at lower prices

Russian Agricultural Production 1921-6 Output​ 1921​ 1922​ 1923​ 1924​ 1925​ 1926​ Grain ​ Harvest ​ (millions of tonnes)​ 37.6​ 50.3​ 56.6​ 51.4​ 72.5​ 76.8​ Sown Area​ (millions of hectares)​ 90.3​ 77.7​ 91.7​ 98.1​ 104.3​ 110.3​ Cotton Fabrics​ (millions of metres)​ 105​ 349​ 691​ 963​ 1,688​ 2,286​

Stalin Collectivisation November 1929 – bringing small farm units together to form bigger farms Idea was that peasants would collaborate to produce as much food as possible to feed themselves and the growing urban proletariat Based on the belief that shortages were due to surpluses being hoarded until sold at the markets for higher prices. Stalin saw it as bourgeois and anti-revolutionary Resisted by peasants in the beginning, only 3% worked on collectivisation Famine 1927-8 led to a mass collectivisation Meant to be voluntary - principles of collectivisation explained to villagers at special meetings organized by plenipotentiaries 58% of all households collectivised by March 1930, 1941 rose to 98% Population of Kazakhstan fell by 75% due to fleeing from collectivisation Dekulakisation - Komsomols (poorer farmers) to locate more wealthy farmers Made it easier for others to sign up for the collective program, sense of fear Kolkhozy ("pure" collectives)/Sovkhozy (state collectives)

Khrushchev Focused on organization of agricultural production, emphasis on increasing production through state farms Change in role of the Ministry of Agriculture from being involved in planning and implementing policy to an advisory body and the abolition of MTS. Raised the price for state procurements (amount of food taken directly by the state from farmers), reducing the amounts to be procured, reducing taxes placed on peasants and increasing the provision of electricity to more isolated rural areas. Increases of the price of food angered urban dwellers. Terrible harvests in 1962 and 1963 led to riots in the countryside and towns e.g. Budyenni Locomotive Works in Novocherkassk, where the KGB ended up killing 23 protesters Virgin Land Campaign 1954 In 1950, 96 million acres of land were given over for the production of wheat By 1964 this increased to 165 miilion acres Urban dwellers felt that their food requirements were finally being met Reduction in soil fertility + soil erosion

Quiz What was the agricultural reform introduced by Alexander II in 1861? Why was it not a success? What 2 agricultural reforms did Alexander III bring? Under Witte, what did Russia experience? By how much did fuel and food prices rise under Nicholas II? What was the problem with peasants consolidating land? What crisis under Lenin meant food prices decreased due to a lack of demand? What policies did Lenin introduce and why did the first fail? Explain what Collectivisation and Dekulakisation is What is a Kolkhozy and Sovkhozy? Give an example of a riot as a result of a bad harvest When was the Virgin Land Campaign introduced?