The Abyssinian Empire was a thoroughly backward agricultural nation, but one point could not be overlooked: labor costs in the Abyssinian Empire were exceedingly low.
After all, with only 300,000 square kilometers of territory, its population reached roughly one-seventh of East Africa's. Thus, the Abyssinian Empire was highly suited to certain labor-intensive forms of agriculture.
After all, East Africa's de-black-slavery policy had become an irreversible trend. Once black slaves vanished completely, labor costs in East Africa would inevitably rise, so some labor-intensive agricultural sectors had to be transferred to the Abyssinian Empire in advance.
For example, industries such as rubber, tea, and coffee cultivation, which would be difficult to mechanize in the near future, could be partially handed over by East Africa to the Abyssinian Empire. As for competition, East Africa did not fear a small country like Abyssinia. Rather, tropical giants with vast territories, such as Brazil, were what East Africa truly needed to guard against.
Of course, Johannes IV naturally understood that East Africa wanted to control the Abyssinian Empire's agriculture, yet he had no means of stopping it. Setting aside everything else, if East Africa used economic means to alter the Abyssinian Empire's agricultural conditions, Johannes IV would likewise have no way to prevent it.
Remons said, "We in East Africa understand Abyssinia's national circumstances. The Abyssinian Empire faces a hunger problem and must first solve its food problem. East Africa can assist the Abyssinian Empire in this regard. East Africa is one of the world's largest grain exporters and is fully capable of resolving the Abyssinian Empire's food problem, creating an economic structure in which grain and industrial goods are exchanged for cash-crop products."
Of course, the Abyssinian Empire had a relatively dense population and low productivity, so its agricultural production was mainly centered on food