3. Utilisation, management, access, harvesting and destination of NWFP

This grass is very important to every Losotho both economically and culturally. (90% of the houses in the rural areas are thatched with this grass. Hence, the common name calls thatching grass. The construction of a rondavel requires a Losotho to have the combined skills of stone mason, builder, carpenter and thatcher in the final stages, his wife will help as the bundles of the thatching grass are literally sewn into place over the layer of reds to make a water-tight roof.

In the early Spring (August — September) the area where this grass flourishes either inside or outside the forest is set aside as "leboella" (an area set aside for the natural propagation of grass) for the propagation of this grass. In winter when the seed of this grass is ripe, the area is divided into small blocks according to the number of the families, which would have submitted their applications to the Village Development Counsel. After the seed has been thrashed by hitting the head against a small stone or any hard ground, the animals will then be allowed to graze for a specified period. By law, when such an area has been declared leboella no animals are allowed to graze and nobody is allowed to cut or remove anything from such a site.

Products are made out of this grass such as brooms, mats containers, ropes for thatched - house roofing and huts the most famous of which is the symbolic Basotho hat. Products from this grass play an important role in the lives of the Basotho nation, and have become an inherent part of their culture. Products made from Moseha are export commodities that bring regular income to the people.

Lesotho is famed for its conical hats, and they have become so much a Lesotho emblem that a hat appears on the National flag and even the postage stamps are printed on paper water marked with a repeating pattern of Basotho hats.

The grass broom (leflelo) is another traditional article made from moseha, it is believed by many to be a much more effective way of removing dust from difficult corners than modern type brooms. The grass is gathered into small bundles, which in turn are bound tightly into a spiral with black strands of plaited horsehair. Basket of all shapes and sizes are also made from moseha. These brooms are produced for export mainly to Australia.

Most of new government buildings have been constructed with this material. The local people have organised themselves into groups and have started a flourishing business of stone cutting. A stone of about 60-cm by 20 cm sells for about 4 Maluti (local currency) which is equivalent 80cents US. There is a good market for these stones also in the Republic of South Africa. Almost all houses in the lowlands have been built from this stone while in the highlands houses are built from the basalt stone.

Source: M. Letsipa

This is one of the most useful medical plants in Lesotho. An infusion of the roots acts as blood detoxification agent. It also cleans kidney problems and can remedy arthritis. It can even be grown in the gardens. It is mainly used locally by traditional healers. The local people who trade in traditional medicines also collect it and sell it locally in the stalls, which are commonly found in almost all the towns within the country.

Medicinally honey has traditionally been known to cure colds while bees wax was used to drive evil spirit away when burnt. The recent studies have shown that through modern technology bee keeping can affect positively to the economy of Lesotho. The Apiculture section within the Ministry of Agriculture Youth and Land Reclamation in the Department of Conservation, Forestry and Land Use Planning.

At present, there are 32 individuals who keep bees in their own backyards. In 1996, a total of

343.2 kg of honey was produced from the bees, which are reared commercially. In 1997/98, the yield had increased to 448.4 kg. Honey produced/harvested in Lesotho is marketed locally to individuals at the cost of Ml 7.00 per kg. Honey that is sold by the pharmacists is sold at M32.00 per kg. To date, the total number of people with hives, some of whom have not started rearing bees is 52.

Prospects are very good with regard to employment opportunities and income generation in that all the equipment used in bee keeping such as hives, beeveils and smokers are produced locally.