HEMP SEMINAR ON TRANSFER OF HEMP TO COMMERCIAL REALITY

A report on Hemp Seminar, titled: Challenges on transfer of hemp (Cannabis sativa) from agricultural feasibility to commercial reality, by Monde Sotana, Rural Development Centre (RDC) training coordinator at Fort Cox College of Agriculture & Forestry on the 6 September 2013.

The proceedings of the occasion were led by Ms Vuvu Ngcofe, the manager for public relations and marketing who was representing the college in the hemp project. The seminar was held at the RDC main hall which is situated at the old college section of the main college. It was well attended as the hall was full. It was attended by: RDC manager Mr Cebani who open the proceedings, the college students who are completing a national diploma in agriculture at National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 6, the out of school youth National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) that are sponsored by Department of Rural Development & Land Reform (DRDLR). Students were excited and interacted so well with the panel and general audience.

Mr Monde Sotana is a hemp project manager for Eastern Cape Hemp Pilot Project Initiative (ECHPPI) that was launched on the 6 August 1999 by Mr Max Mamase who was the provincial minister of Agriculture in 1997 till 2005. The project was divided into two phases: Phase 1 period (1999 till 2005) where agricultural test was done to determine the suitability of hemp for fibre and oil production. Mr Sotana was the researcher on the project since its establishment, hence now we are celebrating 14 years of the hemp industry by holding this seminar.

Mr Sotana has worked with other pioneers in hemp industry and this includes the likes of Dr Sunshine Blouw of Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Deon Joubert of Agricultural Research Council – Institute for Industrial Crops (ARC-IIC) and Dr Thandeka Kunene the CEO of House of Hemp (HoH). The tour was given on the origins and challenges of the hemp industry for the past 14 years of its existence.

The hemp experts can easily differentiate between hemp and marijuana or dagga. The hemp was tested at farmers land in Mthiza near East London, Qamata, Libode, Qumbu, Mbizana, and Maluti. It was also done at research stations like Dohne, Addo, Fort Cox College of Agriculture & Forestry, University of Fort Hare, and Tsolo. A total of 11 experiments were conducted. A hemp production guideline for farmers written by Mr Sotana and others was published in 2005. It is available on request from Dohne Agricultural Development Institute in Stutterheim tel. 043-683 1240 and at ARC-IIC in Rustenburg. He outlined that hemp is grown under licence valid for 12 months. The hemp market is about R400 million, hence the proposal to establish a factory of that amount in the province was made and supported by Department of Trade & Industry (DTI).

Mr Sotana exhibited products made from hemp: (west coat, bag, socks, tissue oil, cream and jeans). The president of the Eastern Cape hemp farmers called Indalo Oils & Fibre Industries Secondary Cooperative Mr Ziphilele Matinise and his secretary Ms Thami Madliwa were giving incisive inputs on the hemp industry establishment. The Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHTL) was represented by Chief David Gayika and Mrs Gayika. Mr Matinise was happy that the ECHTL was here together with the farmers so that we can all try influence towards enabling legislation. The current laws still regard hemp as illegal and as farmers we need special permission to grow it from national Department of Health (DoH).

Mr Gys Vermeulen, the head of academic at the college encouraged the hemp industry to think out of the box. He stressed the need for strengthening the purpose of agricultural colleges that straddle between Higher Education (HE) and Further Education & Training (FET) as there are now going to be called Agricultural Training Institutes (ATI’s). Fort Cox College needs to find its niche area of expertise, in that case, it could be hemp. Grootfontein Agricultural College is known for small stock. Cedara Agricultural College is known for dairy cattle. It is important for the college to diversify, we can get into other niche areas like organic production, job creation, entrepreneurs, value chain addition within the farm setting is taking place.

The way-forward:

1. The co-ordination of private sector, public, government agencies, farmers, in a systematic and productive way. Action: Mr Sotana’s office.
2. Establish three hemp shops in E.C. province at the college and two other areas. Start with Market outlet at college, as a point of departure, then start a hemp factory. Agro-processing activities to be undertaken. Action: Mr painter
3. The hemp conference at the college once a year every August.
4. Awareness campaign to be led by Ms Ngcofe.
5. Appropriate action plan to be drawn.
6. Registration and access to permit and Licencing arrangement.
7. Seeds multiplication led by ARC-IIC, farmers and HoH.
8. Re-structure hemp into Hemp-Eastern Cape at provincial and local affiliation.
9. Next meeting will be held on the 26 September 2013 at 10h00 at RDC at Fort Cox College of Agriculture & Forestry.

- Fort Cox College