The Industrial Crops Association (ICA) Malawi has emphasized the potential of industrial hemp as a game-changer for Malawi’s agriculture sector.

ICA confirmed this during a recent online seminar aimed at clarifying some issues relating to hemp cultivation.

Chairman of Industrial Crops Association, Dr. Gama Bandawe said it is high time that Malawi shift its focus from tobacco to other possible high value crops such as Cannabis. Cannabis has a large value chain that can allow many people to benefit including smallholder farmers.

Besides, studies have shown that industrial/medicinal hemp can help Malawi in solving some of its public health challenges including treatment for Malaria and possibly the new COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent research done by Invegrow, one of the players in industrial hemp, reveals that Cannabis can be used to make almost 25,000 different products including edible oils, seed cake, cosmetics, body oils, animal feed, paper, block board, military grade textile, hemp brick, supplements and medicinal products.

Meanwhile, the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) is working with different stakeholders to market the opportunities that are available in the industrial hemp value chain.

The Government of Malawi, through the Cannabis Regulatory Authority recently released licensing fees to regulate the sector ranging from US$10,000 for medicinal hemp and US$2,000 for industrial hemp.

Malawi legalized the cultivation, processing, selling and distribution of Cannabis in 2020.