In response to the global decline in cigarette consumption and the rise of anti-smoking initiatives, Zimbabwe, renowned as Africa’s leading tobacco producer, has instructed its tobacco research institution to investigate the feasibility of extensive cannabis cultivation.
Kumbirai Mateva, a plant breeder associated with Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Research Body, cites the World Health Organization’s campaigns against tobacco usage and the government’s mandate to explore alternative agricultural avenues as driving forces behind this shift towards cannabis research.
“We view this as an opportunity to spearhead agricultural innovation and sustainability, ensuring that Zimbabwe remains a pioneer in progressive farming practices,” he remarked. “We are enthusiastic about the prospects ahead as we develop various protocols for a new hemp variety, which we anticipate launching soon.”
Munyaradzi Chedondo, formerly a tobacco farmer, obtained a 5-year license to cultivate cannabis on his farm approximately 40 kilometers north of Harare.
“Medicinal cannabis is simply good business,” he affirmed. “Compared to tobacco, it offers better returns, albeit with higher initial investment requirements due to infrastructure needs.
There’s substantial expenditure on imported seeds and organic fertilizers, but the returns are worth it.”
Mike Querl, once a fruits and fish farmer, has transitioned to cultivating medicinal cannabis on 44 hectares near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second-largest city.
“Cannabis looks promising given our weather patterns in Zimbabwe and the crop’s market price,” he stated. “We’ve been growing it for the past 2-3 years, and it has performed exceptionally well.
“It holds significant potential for Zimbabwe, as we can cultivate it year-round and achieve three harvests annually from the same field.
“This prospect is very exciting. Smoking cigarettes with nicotine and tars is highly unhealthy; fortunately, we now have CBD cigarettes available, which are much healthier. This will assist our people in reducing their tobacco consumption.”
U.N. agencies are urging farmers to transition away from tobacco due to health hazards like lung cancer caused by smoking.
Demand for tobacco has declined over the last 25 years, according to the WHO, although it remains popular in Zimbabwe.
Clemence Rusenga, a senior research associate at the School for Policy Studies of the University of Bristol in England, is studying Zimbabwe’s cannabis policy.
He believes that Zimbabwe’s tobacco farmers can shift to cannabis farming, but several issues need addressing.
One major concern is the current cost of a 5-year cannabis license, which stands at $50,000, making it prohibitive for many.
“As a result, many people, especially those who do not have a lot of resources, they are not able to afford this,” he said.
“The industry has become exclusionary, meaning that even those who [were] producing cannabis before illegally, it makes it difficult for them to transition into the legal market. Number two, I think it is the costly production setup that cannabis farmers are facing in Zimbabwe.
You need a lot of money because of the requirements, which I think some of which could be reduced if the regulators work with the stakeholders, so it is very costly as a result, very few cannabis farmers are producing currently.”
There is also the issue that recreational marijuana remains illegal in Zimbabwe. Rusenga said that Zimbabwe needs to take advantage of the growing cannabis industry globally to allow its farmers to thrive.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: US announces fresh $176 million humanitarian aid for Nigeria, 6 others