South Africans who want to become hemp industry stakeholders will be updated on the startup of the licensing process at a “Permit Readiness” meeting tomorrow in Johannesburg.
First licenses under the country’s federally-controlled hemp program are expected to be handed out in time for this year’s South African planting season. Farmers, local government officials, startups, investors and others who may be interested in the licensing process are invited.
Incubator takes shape
The informational session is organized under the Indigenous African Cannabis Incubator (i-AfriCanna-inc), a joint project among a group of South African firms and research organizations.
Potential stakeholders are meanwhile being queried on a number of issues and factors relevant to farmer qualifications, information on any fields to be grown, and local industry prospects. Applicants who want to grow hemp must submit full profiles of their companies or organizations and file an “Application to acquire any schedule drugs for analytical purposes” with the national Department of Health.
Working together
Participants in i-africanna-inc, the meeting organizer, are:
- House of Hemp, which from 2010 to this year had an exclusive hemp growing and processing license; That permit expired this past April as the government expanded its hemp agricultural horizon.
- Mazangani Solutions, a consultancy and incubator that operates as a not-for-profit and works in enterprise and agro-processing value-chain development.
- Zubenathi, a London-based firm specializing in landscape architecture, landscaping, environmental rehabilitation, horticultural training, renewable energy services, project management, construction services and supply chain logistics.
- The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, (CSIR), a government R&D institution that supports state initiatives in science, engineering and technology.
- The Agricultural Research Council (ARC-LNR), also a governmental unit, and which is focused on innovation in the agriculture sector.
The “Permit Readiness” meeting is Friday, Sept. 7 9-12 a.m. at the DOCC–YMCA, 6545 Rathebe St, Orlando East, Johannesburg.
