Bees for Development Journal 135 136 July September 2020 2020
NEWS COSTA RICA Curridabat, a small city on the edge of the Costa Rican capital of San José, has granted pollinators (bats, bees, butterflies and hummingbirds) and endemic plants and trees citizenship!
Image source www.demagazine.co.uk/2019/08/27
Nicknamed the Sweet City* Curridabat has transformed its urban planning and new developments reflect the connection between humans and wildlife. Former Mayor, Edgar Mora (credited with transforming the city into a haven for wildlife over his 12 year term in office) said: “Pollinators are the consultants of the natural world, supreme reproducers and they do not charge for it. The plan to convert every street into a bio corridor and every neighbourhood into an ecosystem required a relationship with them. People in cities are prone to defend nature when it is far away – a distant concept. But they tend to be negligent when it comes to protecting nature in their immediate environment.” *Since 2015, the Sweet City Initiative has created community events where residents plant flowers and trees endemic to Curridabat as well as exotic plants. Citizens, businesses, and institutions are provided with the Sweet City Greenery Guide, detailing what and how to plant, which plants will bear fruits, the creatures that like each plant, and which types are medicinal. They are made aware of the climatic conditions ideal for each plant, the urban context
where they should be planted, and other factors. All this extra vegetation gives the ‘gang of pollinators’ more places to work. As thousands of these creatures return to pollinate, Curridabat becomes sweeter and the natural process of ecology takes over with plants thriving and citizens becoming healthier. Source: www.livekindly.co
HAITI
such as bananas, cassava and plantains, Hilarion grew up among beehives. Recently the area’s reputation for honey production has continued to grow.
The commune of Bonbon lies at the western most tip of Haiti. It shares its name with the traditional Haitian sweet, ‘bonbon’, a cake made with dark sugarcane syrup and sweet spices. Thanks to Hilarion Célestin and a group of local beekeepers, the area is now wellknown for another kind of sweet: honey.
COVID 19 impact The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic spelled disaster for the island in many ways. The impact on health and the medical system was followed by the economic impact. Agricultural work decreased, as farmers were required to stay at home because of Government containment measures.
Images © FAO/Josué Saint Charles
Growing up in Bonbon, Hilarion learnt his trade at an early age. Many of his peers grew up in families learning about fishing and production of local crops
With help from an FAO project, Hilarion has increased his honey production 12
