My eco solution to rat problems

[mivona]

My daughter is off to Madagascar in March, to assist Azafady with development projects. Azafady is an NGO undertaking a range of development activities in southern Madagascar, including beekeeping. You can read more about Azafady at http://www.madagascar.co.uk

 

Honey harvesting in Madagascar has traditionally been done by finding a tree with a hive in it, lighting a smoky fire at its base and smoking the bees out. The tree is then climbed, and the hive taken for the honey. The fires are often not completely extinguished (who wants to wait around when you are stealing honey?) and as a consequence the scarce forest cover is destroyed. Beekeeping in hives is promoted as a way of protecting the tree cover in Madagascar, as well as providing a sustainable income. She is thrilled to be going prior to beginning her geography degree this autumn.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Ah, my daughter did her geography dissertation at Cambridge on NGOs, their implementation of development-related projects and their relationship to volunteering and commercialism.

I've always wanted to go to Madagascar.

Responsible Travel advertises these trips as an "eco holiday" and I did look at the lemur one but I ended up helping repair footpaths here in Cumbria

I hope your daughter has a wonderful time

[mivona]

I don't know how much "holiday" this is likely to be as she is mainly packing clothes to work in, and will be backpacking her sleeping bag and tent.

 

She is the one who got me into beekeeping, and we have both done our Basic Assessment together. Azafady thought it was very useful that she already had beekeeping experience, and I hope they are able to utilise her skills. She is a dab hand at knocking up frames and calm with the bees. I shall miss her a great deal when she leaves home.