As soon as Christmas was over, the immigrants in East Africa resumed their busy lives. Unlike Africa, it was truly winter in Europe, allowing farmers to rest for a while.
In many parts of East Africa, it was the minor rainy season of the year (usually from November to December). While planting crops, the immigrants needed to dredge rivers and ditches, ensuring proper drainage and irrigation.
The climate conditions in the East African colonies, if not extraordinarily favorable, were above the world average level. As long as there was a sufficient water supply, crops like rice could be grown 2.5 seasons a year (five seasons in two years).
The lands currently developed in East Africa were all in areas with abundant water sources, close to rivers and lakes, or regions with plentiful rainfall. Once the water problem was solved, cultivation was not an issue, giving the immigrants plenty to do.
