Ilia Chavchavadze on Agriculture

Paata Koghuashvili, Professor, Doctor of Economic Science, Member –correspondent of the Science Academy of Agriculture of Georgia

“Brave should be, we were brave, sward should be, we had sward, and could crush a sward, war deal knowledge should be, we knew war deal.

All these made us capacity, survive, to be kept !..We are learned from that life, we struggled… we had our own way like that, we had strength correspondence to time, we had mode correspondence to time, we had knowledge correspondence to time, courage and assiduity correspondence to time”.
Ilia Chavchavadze
History of mankind teaches us that every era sends a “holy mercy blessed person” to one or another nation to solve the problems of vital importance and to implement the hardest mission of his ancestors.
“They – being especial, increase our will to learn, push us to actions, aggravate wish of creation and assure us that the better world exists. So, till the mankind exists, they will remain especial, what they have each create in their countries, is a common, universal guide that teaches anyone what he should be like” (O. Chiladze).
Such especial person for us, named in his life “Father of the Nation” is –Ilia Chavchavadze.
Ilia Chavchavadze understood the importance of meaning “Giorgi”, “Gioegianeli” – names for the Georgians. Land in the consciousness of Georgians is “pure”, “un –profane”, and “holy”. “Holy plot” was divined in pagan Georgia as well. As, by imagination of Shimmers, land mentions mother initial. Main divine of Japheth and Georgian generation was mother –Goddess. “Alive roots of history “ –myth was called so. (J. Pkhoveli). Ga –the oldest Goddess in highest range of Georgian mythology (equivalent to Greece Gea), embodied vivifying forces of nature. Devoted rituals to this highest idol, hymn to “Ga”, is kept till today in Svaneti region, Georgia. Queen` s valley, beauty` s valley –how much do these words tell us, Georgians. Ilia Chavchavadze knew, that “Georgika” –official name of he country means not just farmer, but first a farmer“…Who will change a world and put it` s seal on it” (K. Z. Gamsakhurdia). Teimuraz Batonishvili (Bagrationi) wrote: “In an ancient time, someone of us, or other historican, wrote about farmers and their work”.
Georgians stood at the front ways of farming and their ordinary life farming – was not just agricultural dealing for them, but God service. All these provided background for exceptional habits, wishes and aspirations of Georgians, and related whole life to land. “Habits for nation is like faith, law, but unwritten” (Ilia Chavchavadze).
Ilia Chavchavadze`s love to homeland is psychological ground of national gist of Georgians. “Love of homeland among us has peculiar character: it concurs only pure feeling. In this feeling nothing more then itself. Haste towards someone, wish of suppressing someone, putting in trouble someone absolutely is not included in it”.
Huge writer was well aware that Georgians are homeland devoted, lodged on land nation, strength of the country is connected to the land of Georgian. “Our people are great lovers of their residence” –Ilia Chavchavadze wrote. “Specifics of Georgian nations comes from its genetic code, reflected in traditions, managing farming sphere with its especial peculiarities and rationalism, what ensured oldest and most basic deal –agriculture creating into background of forming Georgia as a state. “The power of Georgian people from old period is in farming, agriculture, our strength had always been in villages”, –Ilia Chavchavadze said.
Way of living harmonically with a diverse nature was the power, which helped Georgia devastated by enemies to rise again. Ilia Chavchavadze wrote on it: “It` s astonishing, how could one bear all these and survive? What fed the Georgian people, what belongings they had when struggled in such wars and suffered blood –shedding? . . . There is no doubt that response on that should be sought in economic system and sources, that made as survive in such huge troubles and wars for a long period”.
It is worth noting, that Christian religion first was spread in the vine –growing countries. Georgians received the secret of Georgian Eucharist with bread and wine, and besides, that, kept special tradition of Georgian table. Christianity come into harmony with ancient Georgian traditions and values expressing national interests. Christianity became an axis of Georgian character, around of which our national conception is turning.
As it` s known, traditional agrarian culture of Georgians was farming in pre- Asia space of culture, which was considered as a oldest hearth of farming and cattle –breeding. Here created first farms and forms of farms served as a pattern for whole continent of Eurasia (expect South –East). A little later, different types of agrarian –cultures complex was created, basically cereals culture, vine- growing, cattle –breeding and products making from domestic animals.
Land treatment, plants and animals growing and caring, builds person` s culture. Besides, it ` s not just treatment and earning of things of nature, but purpose action of a person on own soul capacity. Soul transformation, like land treating is called “Soul Georgica” by F. Beckon.
Ilia Chavchavadze considered Georgia as agrarian country because of nature –climate and land variety, also oldest independent farming traditions having country: “It` s doubtless, that our country is agrarian county and an only one which can make it moving forward is agriculture, so –producing that, what is in direct relation with land”.
Geographic environment of Georgia, sharply expressed vertical zone stipulated forming of economic zones of valleys and mountains, based on nature-use principles, soil protection farming and natural –cultural cattle –breeding.
In the modern world condition environment and people relationship is build on the base of ecological thinking, the main agenda includes resolve of nature –use and food producing ecology problems. The view comes from Europe and directed to environments catastrophe anthropogenic changes interrupting and food production security problems resolve.
Our agro products reach country may rip into European markets with just its ecologically fresh production, because the main accentuate in Georgian can not be made on volume of production, because of the country` s small area, but reference should be made on the quality and food security guarantee issues. We should renew and develop traditions and unique rules of agro- ecological producing, which will come in accordance with modern technologies. It will give possibility to produce big amount and ecologically fresh production. What is at the same time economically rentable and will more close us to EU requirements concerning safe food. Such sort of methods of approach will be right, moreover, unique bio climate conditions and environment, habits, capacity and experience of the people, geo –political location and complex of other factors makes Georgia` s agrarian sector more advantageous. The advantages have all mountain and low- land regions of the country.
Ilia Chavchavadze rightly defined national – moral values and types of rural traditions. He believed that moral –psychological character of Georgian peasant was formed by lead national tradition and peculiarities. That ` s why Ilia Chavchavadze considered agriculture as economic background of national life renaissance program.
Description of the agriculture of the first half of 19th century is impossible without considering Ilia Chavchavadze’s views and opinions. There was not a single issue connected to the development of agriculture that had not been discussed and analyzed by this great thinker.
– Tbilisi Bank of the nobility;
– Caucasian society of agriculture;
– Vine disease prevention commission;
– Caucasian exhibition of Vegetables
– Unity of Kakheti region farmers;
– The first Wine trade partnership;
– Tsinamdzgvriantkari agriculture school;
– Fruits and vineyard school;
And other important issues;
As the result of the study of social –economic problems and analysis of economic development, Ilia Chavchavadze proved the need of agriculture development for the
Economic revival of the country.
“Agriculture, caring about land areas bears huge importance for wealth of people everywhere and especially among us, because there is no other important economic industry in our country except for agriculture.Beginning and end of people` s live, society, wealth is depended on it”.
Huge writer and public figure Ilia Chavchavadze understood well, that the basic leading filed of Georgia ` s economy life with its problems was always related to the most important spheres of Georgian people, their soul and material life.
So, in the battle for national traditions keeping (what is hugely important in today` s life) agriculture bears huge importance, Ilia Chavchavadze explained authority of that period importance of “farming or to say in other words –agriculture”.
Ilia Chavchavadze pays most big attention on Georgia ` s agrarian long traditions keeping and determined developing of the sphere with the assistance of new technologies and science, he protected interests of farmers, protected them from ill- skilled foreign specialists –arriving to Georgia and trying to settle in our country, during that period. “It` s enough ladies and gentlemen abandoning of our present and future to others, we ourselves should be masters of our embarrassment, grief and eager. I believe, that our rural nature has quite enough for economy development, middle warm climate, fruitful and almost everything “giving” land, the country is so wealthy that population may survive without any problems, also achieve success in other spheres”.
Ilia Chavchavadze acknowledged farming as the main care and protection object. “Most big source of wealth is more active tillage, farming, so the field is the issue of first importance”. He believed that all these requires too long period. So, each success, each step made foreword, concerning land and plough would be worth of our attention… our strength, survivor of our life and personality, our kindness and wealth – are land and plough”.
While discussing of the problem of the filed, Ilia Chavchavadze accentuated on multi- filed, broad specialized agriculture development in Georgia.
Ilia believed, that field specialization should response domestic and foreign market requirements: “If Georgia will take this direction, if our farming and agriculture will select this way and direction, preparing for Russia, what Russia has not, and bring from Russia what they had not sold there” –this thesis would be actual in today` s Georgia.
Ilia Chavchavadze believed, that “We, Georgians, are country of bread and wine”, “If the nation except bread and barley Growing knows deal of vine growing well or badly, knows how to make wine it assist nation to move forward”. Confessor of the Nation (Ilia Chavchavadze remembered the nation about many centuries tradition vine culture, and its role in agriculture and daily life. Ilia Chavchavadze knew well, that vine growing; wine making was the strongest stimulus of protecting Georgians and keeping their stability. “Ordinary peasant considers vineyard and fruit garden not just a source of feeding but as “holy pool”, where sweat of ancestors stream and made their will. If peasant will abandoning his locating place, he should take from his hear his community, past of the family, father and grandfather, each vine, each tree, planted by father, by grandfather taking all these from hear is very difficult issue. Enlightener of the nation attempted inculcation trend among Georgians commanderships (cooperatives). Ilia Chavchavadze hail “Kakheti agriculture commandership” creation by Telavi nobles. He liked project of regulation and hoped that the “commandership” would provide many useful works. Ilia Chavchavadze saw perspective of peasants uniting following the same commanderships creating in whole Georgia –“This is the deal which will make prominent for centuries a person which will lead this business. Nobility should keep in mind, that small tribute making and giving out will bring profits, but not giving out, spending with care –is loose”.
Ilia Chavchavadze provided background in Georgia to liberal –democracy national conception. According to Archil Jorjadze` s words: “I believe that national – political conception of Ilia Chavchavadze is the conception of whole nation”. The same opinion has Jacob Gogebashvili “background of the national force is territory, place, homeland, motherland … take off from the nation territory, place and it will loose not just means of existence but loose huge historical soul, including motherland”. “Land is one of the most basic factors in conjunction with language and homeland”.
Ilia Chavchavadze devoted no one publication to the issues of landownership and land –tenure. “Father of the Nation” was a supported of broad agrarian reforms aiming self- governance establishing in villages and peasant landownership widening, strengthening functions and rights of “a men of a place” – local landownership. Ilia Chavchavadze said: “Whole educated Europe, whole splendid leaders of human success –try their best, shed blood, for equally use the land and have profit from this grant of nature. The nation which was unable to do that way, was devastated and created into dust. The same occurred with Israel, Great Greece, and Great Rome”.
Ilia Chavchavadze says: “Our peasant is a lodger, were he was born, there is his place. He is dependent on the home of his ancestors, not just from the side of economy by with its heart and soul.
Territorial separation has turning importance in national institute keeping among Georgians. While talking about traditional rural culture Ilia Chavchavadze said: “Trade is the business, when one can not stay at one place, and moves with seek of profit, and forgets about homeland. So, nation, just trading experiences devastation, and is disordered. If just trading, have to be “wall” of others, seek shelter in the other countries. So, it has no strength for political activities, have no ground for being united and is empty –handed nevertheless he is with full pockets. But supports economy of the country where he lives, the country which domains as land as well as plough.
Land property except juridical and economy importance has political aspect – territorial –state impregnability and sovereignty. Sovereignty nation, state territory is a property of people.
Interest opinion was expressed by Ilia Chavchavadzze in his letter about “Caucasus agriculture society”, founded in 1850. After survey essay of progressive European countries (France, Holland,, Belgium, Germany, England) Ilia Chavchavadze made conclusion: the governments should have structure, feeling from the one side strong and stability agriculture in country, and from the other flip –provide immediate assistance with money, knowledge, advice where owners capacity is unavailable”. According to his words, for the success of “Caucasus agriculture society” it should be real representative of “local farmers agriculture producers”, – should be “mediator before government” for “it` s constant care and aid direct where it was necessary. If such way won` t happen, “the society would be again dead as it was before”.
Correspondence governmental structure is not able supply every condition for overcoming created crisis condition in agriculture, because has no relation with agrarian science and agro industry. With the goals of agro –food sector industry potential complete use and food security guarantee in the country should be created such industry –economy and legal environment, which will ensure:
– Commodity motivation increasing in the village;
– Food production and raw – material producing volume –quality highlight improving;
– Acting industries equipped with modern technologies;
– Realization of the task mentions separation of basic priorities and their consecutive realization. The main of them is following:
– Creation of united agrarian system;
– Treating of village policy, as of one territorial unit, what means complex resolving problems of not just agrarian, but social and domestic problems;
– Supplement of commodity producers with financial resources, what means increasing of credit cards and producing accessibility, creation of special agro credit system;
– Irrigation and drain system restoring and its following development in the correspondence regions of the country;
– Peasant economics consulting (teaching) information service foundation as a system and bringing into action;
–Industry and marketing cooperating of small landowners in the villages;
–Horizontal and vertical integration of industries;
–Agro commodity sector development maintaining and regulatory legislative base forming, where practically mentioned activating all elements of economic gears in the direction of agro sector development;
–Bringing into harmony interests of consumers and producers, use of limited industry resource, with the goal of economy –ecology effect increasing;
Named priorities actually have no conflict of interests, so maximal synergic effect is just possible while their completely realization.
Ineligibly leading agriculture dealing is impossible without technical progress and modern achievement inculcation, according to Ilia Chavchavadze. (“correspondence knowledge of times, correspondence method of times, correspondence courage and diligence of times” –is productivity of farmer ` s knowledge, what is so hugely important for today` s Georgian village).
Ilia Chavchavadze understood well, that Georgia has not skilled, high – education having agronomists, who could provide care about developing of Georgia` s farming; relying on just foreign specialists, no matter if they were perfect ones, would not provide restore and development of agriculture. So huge Public Figure aimed making sure peasant importance of knowledge and experience, getting information on new technologies and achievements in the sphere of farming and cattle – breeding, strengthening believe, that the peasant is an only one owner of the land area. Ilia Chavchavadze wrote: “Education, learning, knowledge –is an only tool, which is able putting medicine on our life; teacher, doctor, technique, land expert, –each one, who armed with science and knowledge, each one is necessary for today, if we really care about people…one of the basic opportunity of knowledge receiving is –agriculture school. Providing of agriculture schools is really necessary in our country”.
So, confessor of the nation outlined huge importance of lowest and highest special rural –agricultural schools foundation. He noted while Tsinamdzgvriantkari agriculture school opening in 1883: “From this school, you children, our children will bring out the knowledge, which will make us look into the earth` s heart, make us understand where and what procure is laying and how it might be reached, taken out and used for the use of our country and ourselves”.
“Father of the Nation” knew, that development of agriculture required financial resources. Issue of the first importance should be resolved –“sizing of land into Georgians hands”, local farmer should be lodged in the territory he was working on, covering territory of Georgia. Peasant needed assistance while land purchasing. For that goal special farming camp foundation was necessary. “Ilia Chavchavadze cared about nobles` land being under loosing to be transferred into peasants hands, and our writer deeply thought about the ways of it realization” (A. Jorjadze). Ilia Chavchavadze did his best for reviving of landownership and farming in Georgia: “Economy strength and solidity of the country is dependent of the ownership of peasants. Why we can not ask just one simple thing?”.
In 1875 Ilia Chavchavadze could create into being started about Nobility Land Camp creation by Dimitri Kipiani. And completed delivering of his speech at the day of the Camp foundation with the following words: “Georgians will be grateful for centuries and grateful of founder Dimitri Kipiani”. Kutaisi Nobility Land Camp started functionering with the support of Ilia Chavchavadze in a year period.
Ilia Chavchavadze worked on the position of Camp` s Chairman for 30 years period, as long as it existed, and tried his best in Georgia ` s banking system development, and after a hard work, it could be created into financial source and fonder of:
– Read and Write spreading among Georgians society;
– Georgian theatre;
– Georgian gymnasium;
– Care for talent young Georgians;
And many other cultural –education centers.
The Bank was the firs national organization, creating following activities and strong desire of Georgians. Ilia Chavchavadze devoted 12 year to the banking – credit issues: “Tbilisi Georgian Land Camp” (1986) and “Domestic Survey” (1883). Ilia Chavchavadze explained land credit importance for “land and farming managing and strengthening”. “appointment is managing of land credit, strengthening of native land and farming, bringing profits…Our country is the country of farming and an only one industry, which might be working is –agriculture So land credit should have one appointment, and the appointment should be strengthening of agriculture, and as the sphere is close to the land and farming, land credit it the mostly distinguished one form the other credits and their peculiarities”.
Publications of Ilia Chavchavadze remain the same actuality in today` s world, especially such important topics as: bread, cotton growing, forest, technical cultures cultivation, use of agriculture techniques, melioration and other problem issues. All this is perfectly described in the article “Out peasants and use of forests”: “Forest is as necessary for our peasant as a bread of existence. Without forest our peasant will not be able to rise as without bread”. Ilia Chavchavadze faced violence of forest authority and illegally forfeited dealing, Russian rule of forest use, incompatibility of Georgian reality. Letter of Ilia Chavchavadze is mostly important concerning bread issue: “bread trade issue among us”, where Ilia Chavchavadze makes conclusion: “We should try only growing such big among of bread to be possible sell it, and be enough in interior market”.
Knowledge of agriculture products peculiarities gave possibility huge writer discuss importance for Georgia economy generation of vine growing and wine making, fruit growing, vegetables, silk, tea, sub tropical cultures growing, bee keeping and other issues. Ilia Chavchavadze knew well that each of this field is not just a source of country and peasants economy strengthening, but rule and culture of Georgians agrarian life. Unfortunately in today` s Georgia we have to frequently talk about ways of surviving this fields (silk growing, bee keeping, sheep breeding) and keeping them, instead on inculcation of the new cultures.
Vineyard and wine culture has too long traditions in Georgia (8 -8 thousand years). Christianity gave to fire vine and wine cults of pagan gods, but vine, but the vine become symbol of new religion. When St. Nino entered Georgia with vine cross in her hands, was approving of her knowledge what highly –developed country (meaning vine growing) she was entering. The song “You are vine, flowering, kind and planted in Elysium” (king Demetre the First) is centuries long and actual till today. Jesus Christ teaches: “I am vine real, my Father is vine –grower”, “I am vine and you reed” (Joanne 15.1.5.6). Vine considered Georgian man as “tree of life”. In Georgia –Aguna –is a goodness of productivity and plenty. Wine juice was admitted by Georgians as a holy drink. Teimuraz Bagrationi wrote: “Lightning fire and drinking wine, old and new”. According to Ilia Chavchavadze: “Our wine is real wine. Wine making has thousand of years history in our country. The basic in the wine making is not mixing just a drop of something other in the grape juice. The basic peculiarity of Georgian wine is its “neutrality”. That` s why Ilia Chavchavadze was battling against wine falsification. Wine falsification method came from Europe via Russia, concerned to inculcation of innovations, but brought nothing alluring. Ilia Chavchavadze mentioned not real European wine- makers, but who tried everything for profit and mixed to natural wine what they just could mix. “We know as enough as Europeans, what is required for natural wine making” –said Ilia Chavchavadze, and added for Georgian wine –makers “If you wish supplying wine to Russia, and be better then “fake” wine of Europeans, it will be possible just if we will make our real, natural wine, and the victory will be guaranteed”.
Interesting and no less actual in today` s Georgia view of Ilia Chavchavadze concerning problem of mountain. He deeply believed, that developing of cattle- breeding in mountain region of Georgia would be guarantee of revive and protection of high- land regions.
Different field of agriculture developing required roads rehabilitation and construction obligatory. It became obvious that roads not having created huge problems while economy and population welfare generation process. “I guess no country needs roads as Georgia needs” —Ilia Chavchavadze said. That` s why one of the basic issue the Father of Nation was caring about was roads constructing and rehabilitation issue, especially, railway reviving in Kakheti region. Quoting words of Ilia Chavchavadze will obviously face importance of vehicles in every region of Georgia: “Forty of Fifty years ago Kizikhi (Kakheti region) bread was occupying entire Tbilisi market. Beside, vodka, corn, millet, rice, cotton, most wonderful Kakhetian silk, astonished fragrant tobacco, medical flowers and grasses, lots of fruit, plenty of wool, cattle for slaughter and many other was supplied from Kizikhi”. All these was in past, but Kakheti lost its strength because of not having roads. Ilia Chavchavadze devoted not one letter to the resolving of the problem, he appealed to Tbilisi Province marshal of Nobles, to Russia Imperia and Ministers of State Property. Ilia Chavchavadze said “Not having of proper roads is obvious shortcoming for people, not having roads hinders economy welfare, hinders moving life forward. Roads make easy people to move, revive – delivering, supplement of production. It` s simple and obvious truth. This truth is acknowledged”. (seem like was said about today’s condition)
And let` s remember more words of Huge Confessor: “In today’s life at the top of table will seat the nation, who tries, constantly works and attempts economy improvement. The most trampled, enslaved, back –warded and made fool, who is not relying on his tight hand, who is not able maintain himself in the life”.
“Sacrifice is the issue of generosity, when sacrifice provider looses something huge” –Ilia Chavchavadze said. “Brother of nation in grief and joy” sacrificed his life to teaching and enlightening of nation, and left following words to keep in mind: “be cheerful and become stronger”, what means to live. But we had not live just an only day according to example of Ilia Chavchavadze, just talking loudly, threatening, but keep continue living as we used to live. We can not see that “other star”. “Other star” was Ilia Chavchavadze himself, Ilia Chavchavadze –who one and at last must take us out from slavery. And when will be taken out we will have more rights and seek for other ways of generation. Till all these will be realized, attempting of something else is very early …” (O. Chiladze). During this way passing, Ilia Chavchavadze will lightning the road.
Predicting opinion of Ilia Chavchavadze as of all huge thinkers is invaluable for country, as a perspective view of real picture of the future, planed way of Ilia Chavchavadze –national life reviving program is just possible to be realize by building of the “new county” seeing “other star”, unity of the nation, constant perfection and development.
21st century Georgia should make it possible.
Catholic Patriarch of Whole Georgia suggests Ilia Chavchavadze similar program of building Georgian authority: “Georgia will just survive and occupy deserving place in the world, if it basing on traditions will crated new technologies and achievement based new authority… We should not be afraid of integration (globalization), because we had strong experience in past and know well, that Georgia suffered influence of other Imperia culture during many centuries period, but with the wish of God and enforce of our ancestors we have never lost our originality. We should be able to do the same today. We should supply international market ecologically fresh agriculture production, producing base of which is whole high land Georgia and its surroundings. It will bring huge profits to people and revive Georgian villages”.
Ilia Chavchavadze deeply believed in multi field agriculture productivity and competitive capacity of Georgia. Capacity of Georgia peasants transforming into new condition (according to modern demands), should provide background for economy generation and development of united Georgia.
Father of the Nation saw importance place of agriculture and its role. It should be intended to the highest national interests sphere in today` s Georgia condition.
“Many are perfect and little are elected” (Methy 20. 16). –Ilia Chavchavadze said just this phrase when was offended on co –intercalates and was leaving gathering place without comments.
Yes, He knew price of himself, he knew, that many would come to the earth to live, but only distinguished one will be able to lead the nation, go in accordance with time and deals providing rationally.
“Ilia is Big Manager of Kardu, and awarded cosmic medal “Eternity To Be”, –said once Georgian Grigol Robakidze, Georgian gene of which was more sharpen while living in Germany.