Botswana is preparing to launch commercial hemp production after government trials demonstrated the crop can be grown successfully across the country’s diverse climates, moving the sector from research into commercial development under one of Africa’s most tightly regulated licensing systems.
“We made a commitment to Botswana that we would introduce hemp cultivation, and we are now moving closer to fully delivering on that promise,” President Duma Boko said.
Boko announced the successful trials during a visit to the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI), where experts have been evaluating hemp’s performance under Botswana’s growing conditions. The findings, he said, give the government confidence to begin implementing its plan for a domestic hemp industry as part of a broader strategy to diversify the economy beyond diamonds.
The trials were under a collaboration involving NARDI, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre and two licensed private companies. Officials have not yet released technical results from the trials, including the hemp varieties tested, yields, THC analyses or other agronomic data.
Commercial rollout
Assistant Minister of Lands and Agriculture Motsamai Motsamai said potential stakeholders who meet regulatory requirements will be eligible for government support as the industry moves into commercial production. He said large-scale cultivation is expected to create jobs and support new manufacturing and agricultural value chains.
The announcement marks the next phase of a program Botswana began earlier this year when it adopted a comprehensive regulatory framework governing industrial hemp. Those regulations established an unusually stringent licensing system. Rather than creating a separate legal category for hemp, Botswana regulates it as “industrial cannabis,” with a maximum THC level of 0.7%.
Cultivation, seed production, nurseries, processing, transport, research, imports and exports all require licenses issued under the Cannabis Act and overseen by the National Cannabis Control Authority. Applicants must satisfy extensive requirements covering security, business plans, site information, crop management, financial capacity and regulatory compliance, while licensed operations are subject to inspections and ongoing oversight.
Industrial focus
The framework is designed to support industrial uses of hemp while maintaining strict controls over cannabis generally. CBD and other cannabinoids remain illegal, and the regulations do not authorize commercial production or sale of flowers. Government officials have consistently presented industrial hemp as a feedstock for industries including textiles, construction materials, food products and other value-added manufacturing.
Industry stakeholders have welcomed the government’s willingness to establish a hemp sector but have cautioned that the extensive licensing and compliance requirements could make it difficult for smaller operators to participate, potentially favoring larger, well-capitalized businesses.
Tiny ag sector
Agriculture accounts for less than 2% of Botswana’s GDP but remains vital to rural livelihoods and the government’s strategy to diversify the economy beyond diamonds. The sector is dominated by livestock, with beef production serving as the country’s main agricultural business and leading farm export. Crop production is constrained by drought, poor soils and scarce arable land.
Of the country’s roughly 58.2 million hectares, about 45.6% is classified as agricultural land, almost all of it grazing. Only about 0.5%, roughly 290,000 hectares, is arable – one of the lowest proportions in the world. That means Botswana is heavily dependent on food imports.
Diamonds account for about 25% of Botswana’s GDP, around one-third of government revenue, and roughly 80-90% of export earnings.