In Zimbabwe, October 11 will be remembered as a special day in the nation’s history because it was the day the Zimbabwe Industrial Hemp Trust (ZIHT) planted their first legal hemp crop. ZIHT planted six strains of hemp. The country has entertained the notion of planting hemp for several years and in 2017, it created a hemp pilot program but later abandoned it and reverted their focus on medical marijuana.
Dr. Zorodzai Maroveke has been the driving force behind the Zimbabwe hemp policy. She is a trained dental surgeon. While studying in China, she learned of industrial hemp and its economic potential, so when she returned to Zimbabwe, she founded Zimbabwe Industrial Hemp Trust (ZIHT) and started campaigning for hemp legalization.
She said that during her studies, she developed an interest in hemp, and after learning of its potential, Maroveke felt that she needed to introduce hemp to her home country.
After returning, she wrote a white paper expounding on the benefits of planting hemp and the differences between the crop and marijuana to promote and garner the support of the citizens as well as the leaders. The paper managed to capture the attention of a minister in the office of President Robert Mugabe after it went viral. This led to the formation of the pilot program which was never implemented.
ZIHT was founded by Maroveke when the pilot program failed to lobby for marijuana legalization. The timing was perfect since the Mugabe regime was ousted and with the support of some political groups, she was able to persuade the succeeding government to alter hemp regulations. Earlier this year, the government legalized hemp cultivation.
Maroveke and ZIHT are carrying out a feasibility study to determine the suitability of hemp growth in Zimbabwe since they are the first to be awarded an industrial hemp license.
Maroveke said that their first crop is for testing its acclimatization to the country, and they will plant different varieties throughout the country for research purposes.
For their research, they are collaborating with the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services, where they are planting hemp on the unused land owned by the correctional system. The reason for their collaboration is to reduce recidivism and make use of the vast tracts of land owned by the penitentiary system across the country.
It is also a means of creating jobs within the prison system to equip the prisoners with useful skills once they have completed their jail terms, she added.
If the research is successful, hemp cultivation will be done commercially. For the study, ZIHT used European hemp strains. However, in the future, she hopes to breed and test a variety of strains developed in Zimbabwe.
Estimates from the Hemp Business Journal suggests that in a span of five years, Zimbabwe could generate $200,000 in revenue yearly after starting production of industrial hemp on a commercial level.
According to the data presented by the Africa Regional Hemp and Cannabis Report, if the pilot crop venture is successful, the nation will experience a significant economic impact since Zimbabwe is the first country to cultivate hemp in Africa.
Experts believe that the hemp industry, incluing companies like Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Hemptown USA, is glad that hemp cultivation is extending to Africa and other underdeveloped areas of the world.
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