South Africa is optimistic that it can bring cannabis to produce a million-dollar business as the countries fights for its legality.

Africa is getting ready to take over the world of cannabis farming as its several countries fight for the legality of the leaf drug.  For years, Africa had domesticated cannabis for a lot of reasons.

Smoking pots have been traced back to the 14th-century pipes. Ethiopian pipes are among the most common sources of cannabis trackings. However, with the church’s accession in colonial times, cannabis was banned.

In 2017, there are already five countries that approved the legalisation of cannabis farming. Looking at this opportunity, other African countries will certainly follow as cannabis farming is considered to be a million-dollar business.

African cannabis companies work with pharmaceuticals

Currently, the African government is looking for ways to domesticate cannabis again. The Ugandan Cannabis Company is growing weed farms in a computer-controlled environment. The company partners with an Israeli firm, TogetherPharma.

The African company recently exported a 250kg of medical cannabis to Israel, where it will be used in the medicinal study. Moreover, it was the first batch of commercially grown cannabis to leave Uganda.

In Hennops, located 20 miles from Johannesburg, a licensed cannabis farm, Druids Garden legally produces cannabis for research and other medicinal purposes. Cian McClelland, the farm’s founder presently sells his cannabis to South Africa and the international market.

He also aims to help the small scale African farmers to compete in  Africa’s marijuana business. According to McClelland,

“One of the most important aspects of this industry is for us to find ways to uplift small farmers, particularly black rural farmers.“We would like to play an active role around the country, in partnership with the Heritage Trust, to help … provide access to these markets.”

The freshly harvest weeds go into the lab where fully geared workers sort the leaves and place them into bins for further processing. McClelland is looking into the opportunity to allow rural farmers to compete in the market, however, problems might arise because of the lack of license to operate.

Big pharmaceutical companies could soon take over

At the onset of  Africa’s legalisation, big pharmaceutical companies are looking at the opportunity of making cannabis a million-dollar business. By 2023, South Africa could produce more than $23 billion worth of cannabis generated earnings.  Furthermore, marijuana conventions are being held all over the country to stimulate investors and growers.

Cannabis farming is in no doubt to generate an increase in  Africa’s economic GDP, however, Africa established regulatory departments to control the illegal farming of cannabis. Licenses and permits are required for farmers to plant freely. However, the amount of getting those permits to establish a legal marijuana farm costs from $200,000 to $300,000.

Cannabis for recreational use remains illegal

Despite its legalisation, Malawi enforced the law that cannabis for recreational use shall remain illegal. Recreational smokers will have to wait.