Cannabis Gains Momentum in Zimbabwe

[Marzcanna]

Zimbabwe recently scrapped rules requiring sole state ownership for cannabis farming to encourage investment in the plant for industrial and medicinal uses. Zimbabwe is Africa's largest tobacco producer, but authorities expect hemp export earnings to start replacing tobacco as farmers seek higher earnings from the crop.

Farmer Jesper Kirk has been growing mainly tobacco since he moved to a 250-hectare farm five years ago. He now plans to increase his hectarage of hemp, a type of cannabis plant that has very low levels of THC — the intoxicating substance in marijuana — when the growing season begins in a few months.

"I went for hemp because it is an export crop,” he said. “Much more reliable market. Whereas, for example potatoes, local market crop is a little more unstable market in terms of the number of people growing it. So, I wanted a slightly stable market in terms of demand."

About five years ago, Zimbabwe Industrial Hemp Trust led experiments raising cannabis and the project has spread to several parts of Zimbabwe.

The trust is providing technical assistance and looking for markets for farmers, said the group’s head, Dr. Zorodzai Maroveke.

She said Zimbabwe is making a smart choice with cannabis, since the tobacco market is shrinking because of anti-smoking campaigns.

"It’s most relevant now considering the threat that the tobacco industry faces and knowing very well that Zimbabwe heavily depends on tobacco production,” she said. “It’s relevant that our economy has to start looking for alternatives. And I think industrial hemp tops the list. It's a green crop and there is a lot of social impact in comparison to tobacco. I think in 10 years you will see the value chains that will come out of this sector are way more than tobacco."

While Kirk is thinking of exporting his crop, Walter Ruprecht has used some hemp produced by farmers this year to produce paper. He said cannabis has a lot of potential for Zimbabwe, both for industrial and even medicinal use.

“The advantages are that it is obviously going to create thousands of jobs in the farming areas, just like what tobacco has done for decades,” he said. “Hemp has many advantages for its medicinal interests at the moment. However, there are other composites that can be available that it can be used such as textiles, pulp and paper. It’s a nitrogen supplement to the soil, it eliminates weeds. It has so many advantages to the small farmers and of course the value chains, which stretches to hundreds of thousands of dollars of opportunities."

The global cannabis industry is expected to be a $46 billion business worldwide in three years — up from $16.47 billion this year, said Tino Kambasha of the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency.

“So, it's a market that is growing fast and we think it’s going to be a game-changer for this country,” Kambasha said. “And Zimbabwe has gone a little step further to show that it is willing work with its partners and investors. By coming up with an investor agreement which further protects you against anything like expropriation and change or changes in law, which is quite great."

Because of the new cannabis regulations, Kambasha added, Zimbabwe has attracted investors from the U.S., Britain, Germany, Switzerland and other countries.

That might be a needed shot in the arm for Zimbabwe’s economy, which has been stuck in the doldrums for more than 20 years

 

 

Article Taken From Anther Source

[Ill_Evan]

Great news for farmers in Zimbabwe! 

[Marzcanna]

It's a matter of time more and more countries jump on. Everyone seems to follow everything America does anyway

Edited July 21, 2021 by Marzcanna

[Naughty.Psychonaut]

There has been a struggle for ages, gouvernment hurting small farmers, because they can't profit off their backs. With all the mountain growers up there in central africa, who has passed down cannabis farming through generations, I wonder how this will impact their livelyhood? 

I feel the curve of "americanization" also implies treating everything as if it's a product, and I don't feel this is a good thing in every situation. 

[Chris Jay]

I think the one limiting factor for Zimbabwe's jump into the cannabis industry is "investor confidence". Within this century Zimbabwe broke international laws when expropriating farming land and businesses, regardless of the tribal politrix and failed state, these countries investing I am sure are holding back.

Quote

By coming up with an investor agreement which further protects you against anything like expropriation and change or changes in law, which is quite great."

I am friends with a number of ex zim farmers, who are farming here, and they wont be going back anytime soon, and sadly they all saw South Africa is like a deja vu of Zimbabwe.

 

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With all the mountain growers up there in central africa, who has passed down cannabis farming through generations, I wonder how this will impact their livelyhood? 

Quote

It's a matter of time more and more countries jump on. Everyone seems to follow everything America does anyway

We are always about 10 years behind the States, and yes when they change something, the whole world adjusts. A good example of mountain outlaw growers would be the Humboldt county, the black market cannot keep up with illegal sales of cannabis and I think SADC is in the same position. Even the legally licensed guys with research permits are taking camping gear, lots of "cooking oil" into Lesotho to bring their product into the legal market because they cant legally sell here. 

[Naughty.Psychonaut]

Personally, if I was in any of the investors positions, I wouldn't wana touch Zimbabwe with a 100m stick.

Sad to say, but that's just how it is and how it has been, I am not being fooled by empty promises of "this time will be different", they can sing that song to their mothers, but I am with the ex Zim farmers. Only an ass will bump its head twice in the same spot. 

Looking at how America runs things really isn't going to save them or anyone for that matter and it should be clear as day for all of us. It will bring profits to a certain extent and only to a certain select few, but the last thing it will do is benefit the natives and their country. 

It really is no ones fault but their own, managent and leadership really is a problem in our part of the world and those central african countries really have a long ways to go before they can start acting like America. 

I would say start with focussing on population control, then education management which will also help in the health management department, then adequate housing, then overall health care and management and environmental management with proper running water systems, cut ties with major companies sucking the resources out the country for a few packets of peanuts to feed the whole country, start using their own resources to work their lands and start actually getting food to the population, start proper farming and proper living and stop thinking living in shacks and clay houses and dying of hunger and disease is cultural enrichment...

making money from growing weed isn't going to satisfy all these needs. it's just gona be another "taking candy from a baby" situation. can smell it from miles away. 

The whole world knows by now doing business with any African country is not a good choice to make, because of our management problem. For years and years other countries have been sending African countries money, food, water, clothes, medicine, housing, schooling all just because people are too nice and there will always be a bunch of people out to help those in need, yet still there are abandoned children laying in the dirt dying of hunger and the people from these countries are too proud and culturally enriched to change and be like the rest of the world. 

I hope Zim leaders wake up and realise the more they wana be like America and having to turn to other countries for help the more they will get sucked dry. They have every resource they need to make a thriving country, except leadership, but they can fix that. 

[Chris Jay]

@Naughty.Psychonautfor president, you have a good plan sir. A friend was in the Congo a couple years ago on a government level to invest in growing cannabis, during a meeting all hell broke loose as the son of the president had absconded with millions of dollars in cash. On a plus side I see a post on facebook with a load of hemp farms being cultivated around our country this coming season.

You reckon this guy says it how african leadership is:
 

 

 

 

[Naughty.Psychonaut]

20 hours ago, Chris Jay said:

@Naughty.Psychonautfor president, you have a good plan sir. A friend was in the Congo a couple years ago on a government level to invest in growing cannabis, during a meeting all hell broke loose as the son of the president had absconded with millions of dollars in cash. On a plus side I see a post on facebook with a load of hemp farms being cultivated around our country this coming season.

You reckon this guy says it how african leadership is:
 

 

 

 

hahahah well my first order as president, LEGALIZE IT!!!!! 

yeah that guy got a point there, but I wouldn't say their country doesn't have any problems either or to look at how they doing shit. 

africa has a unique situation, and when I say unique I picture this.... 

perfect representation of our current situation. it's like the meeting you described there, it's a f*ing joke how some of these "leaders" act.... 

There is a video on the internet somewhere of a big fat black man with heavy African accent standing in the streets of a European country screaming "Look at this! Look at this!" and he is pointing at the public transport, the buildings and how clean the place is and shit and the beautiful cities that are centuries old. Then he goes on to explain and ask how it is that some people have to leave the continent their on to go to other continents to go and get resources that we have on our continent in abundace, and if you're on different continents they have everything we should have infact we do have those things, but it's all on other continents, and it has been for f*ing yeeeeeaaars hahahah it's actually a funny video. It just leaves a person speechless!

I am hearing and seeing quite a lot happening for cannabis here on the Southern tip and it's very exciting being able to witness all this happening right infront of me. Started smoking weed when people where still made out to be a criminal and now we're already here. Definitly moving in the right direction!