Letters

APPEAL

Rodbee is an association of honey producers in the remote Rodrigues Island which is a dependency of Mauritius. Honey is produced from fixed-comb, traditional hives in wild areas. Most of our production is said to intermediaries from the other islands of Reunion and Seychelies Following the recent passage of the devastating and terrifying cyclone “Bella”. the members of our organisation undertook a careful survey of all natural bee habitats It is sad and very regretful to state that there is nothing left. No hives, no bees and consequently no honey production for the clear part of this year. So as to restart production we are hesitantly and with much reluctance for warding this appeal letter for any form of grant aid or financial support. To date, we have received favourable support in terms of tools and materials from some benevolent societies and organisations. Please give us the names of aid agencies that can support us in this very critical period.

We need around $2000-2500 to fully satisfy this emergency requirement. Very urgently required are second-hand or reconditioned tools. In particular we need:

chain saw (petrol powered)

stone breaker (petrol powered)

machetes (4)

hammers (5)

aluminium sheets - 160 m: for store roofing

hurricane lamps (4)

Hurbunas, Rodbee Co-ordinator.

We have now adapted the system of honey hunting in tree holes by the provision of clay hives which are models of pot made from clay and baked.

This pot hive is oval in shape with lid at one end which serves as the opening where one can harvest the honey, and small entrance hole of 4 cm diameter at the other end for the bees. This is made from local materials to reduce cost and to teach farmers that resources around them can be put to good use.

In this system the hive is placed on fork-shaped branch of a tree and secured with wire, strings or ropes. The hive is left in position to serve as a permanent hive and not just swarm a catcher The inside is rubbed with beeswax or smeared with honey to trap any swarm that comes its way.

Aduku David, Peng Tamale, Ghana.

Beekeeping and Development should always have been the name of the Newsletter. BRAVO for its re- baptising!

Bumanga Umaru Mufti, Borne State, Nigeria.

Beekeeping und Development is real linkage agent which is playing very useful role. It is also both informative and educative to us, the beekeepers. I hope that, in the foreseeable future, we will be able to pay for this priceless paper.

Beekeeping has been introduced in our Junior Secondary School as cottage industry. It is our hope that beekeeping will help curb the rural- urban drift in our villages.

O K Anno, Begoro Beekeepers Association, Ghana.