Aspects of the agriculture industry during the second world war : Żebbuġ and Siġġiewi as a case-study

Abstract

An important aspect of siege warfare involves the blockade of supply lines or the physical encirclement of a settlement to intercept any provisions from reaching the besieged, then waiting for the decimation of the same people through starvation or disease. The lack of food and drink could also diminish the collective effort of the combatants. The Maltese used such measures to their advantage during the short French interlude, but were, to the contrary, on the receiving end in 1565 and again during the Second World War. The geography of Malta influenced the nature of preparations required to supply food and drink for a long-drawn siege. The Order of St John, the French and the British were aware of the limited natural resources available in Malta. While hailed for its geo-strategic location, the archipelago failed to generate the necessary agricultural output that could sustain its population for long periods. Depending squarely on large quantities of food imports immediately conditioned the safety of the island during extended times of conflict. As such, the consequences of bad provisioning preparations along with poor management of food reserves and unregulated local food production had to be avoided at all costs.