Industrial Hemp First Trial: Shows The Plant Is Harmless, Can Be Grown In Malawi

Industrial Hemp trial field 

Preliminary findings from the first round trial of growing Industrial Hemp and identification of varieties of low THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) has proven that Malawi is suitable land and that five cultivars used in the trial have very low THC. 

THC an active ingredient in marijuana (chemical element that drives people high when they smoke tobacco or ingest alcohol in other words it is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana's psychological effects.)

Youth Rights Activists Differ With Drug Fight Body On Future Of Youth After Industrial Hemp Legalization

Sativa type not Industrial Hemp

Youth rights activists differ with drug fight body opinion that Industrial Hemp legalization will increase Marijuana smoking among Malawi youths.

Zakeyo faulted for his analysis 

Drug Fight Malawi analysis signed by its Executive Director, Nelson Baziwelo Zakeyu objects legalization of Industrial Hemp with fear that the hemp will increase Marijuana smoking among the youth, and bring negative impact than much anticipated positive hopes that the product is likely to alleviate poverty and bring economic prosperity to the country.

In the analysis Zakeyu draws attention to the 2004 country’s rapid situation analysis on the relationship between use of drugs and HIV by Ministry of Health and Centre for Social Studies at Chancellor College which found that tobacco and Marijuana were among most abused drugs by many Malawians due to accessibility and affordability since they are grown locally.

He stated in an interview that such previous studies are a lesson that legalizing unknown hemp to Malawians which also has thin distinct between it and Marijuana, it is hazardous attempt which may result in creating “a big Marijuana” in the country and worsen Marijuana smoking.

“Legalizing Industrial Hemp creates potential for broad scale development, manufacture and marketing of Marijuana products.” Warns Zakeyo

He further cautioned that just like how malfunctioned legal drug markets of alcohol and tobacco have created health problems in the country, legalizing Industrial Hemp will worsen poverty and poor health of people due to the known direct links of drug’s to non-communicable dieses.

Indica type: feared to be mistaken for Industrial
Hemp

“It is therefore far not right to think that legalizing Marijuana would actually have a positive impact in alleviation of poverty to the country in fact, doing so would worsen the situation, heavily and negatively impacting young people.” Advised Zakeyo further urging Government to tread carefully and “not play with danger” that will harm young people

However, in separate interview, two V

Youth Rights Activists, Lucky Mbewe and Charles Kajoloweka, Executive Directors for Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE) and Executive Director for Youth and Society (YAS) respectively have dismissed the drug fight body reservations, calling them as mare phobia and urged the body to bring objective ideas that will help to effectively curb smoking but not stopping the country from exploring ways diversifying the economy through growing of profitable cash crops.

Lucky Mbewe said to the contrary, Industrial Hemp legalization will bring more economic benefits to the country and not cause any harm to the youth or influence them to smoke Marijuana.

Said Lucky Mbewe; “Perhaps what I would propagate is, we should look at the dimensions in terms of the use of Industrial Hemp. This type of hemp can be used for medical or other industrial uses which may in turn boost our economy and not necessarily smoking. More importantly, a lot of youth will get economic empowerment from cultivating this type of Hemp. So we need to look at this issue on economic and health gains” 

On his part Charles Kajoloweka said “It is in our considered view that legalization of the Industrial Hemp for industrial purposes must be understood from the scientific perspective, that it is going to work for the Industry, which we already know that currently it is already working. And we know its economic benefits through number of studies that have indicated how Industrial Hemp is being used for industrial purposes.”

“Growing of Industrial Hemp could be another way of going forward as a country in terms of exploring possibilities of other cash crops” he added

Growing Industrial Hemp will bring benefits of
manufacturing industry of the above materials 

As of prevention of possible abuse of the hemp as feared by the Drug Fight Malawi which draws lessons from malfunctioned legal drug markets of alcohol and tobacco where children as young as 10 could access, both Mbewe and Kajoloweka have emphasized the needed for good regulatory framework and its enforcement once the hemp is legalized.

“In terms of this fear, it goes back to how it is going to be regulated and how regulatory framework to be put in place is going to be enforced. It just the same with alcohol, we have the laws that regulate the selling, production and consumption of alcohol in this country. But the question is to what extent do we enforce the regulatory framework.

So, we cannot continue remaining behind as the country to explore the possible opportunities in development because we are afraid that there will be some spillovers in terms of negative impact. So for us if there is proper legal framework put in place that regulates industrial use of the hemp then we should not be worried as a country.” observed Kajoloweka 

The two youth rights activists also concurred that effective engagement with key stakeholders and all Malawians to sensitize them on the pros and cons of the Industrial Hemp is imperative in order to avoid misconceptions around the hemp incessantly spread like a wildfire.

“People have a perception that every hemp is meant for smoking, those are some of the issues that requires masses to be sensitized on and publicize accordingly.” comments Mbewe 

Meanwhile, Private Sector Development Expert working with Invegrow on the trials and development of Industrial Hemp in Malawi, Nebert Nyirenda says Drug Fight Malawi fears are misleading and are mare misconception about Industrial Hemp.

“In Industrial Hemp does not contain intoxicating Psychoactive chemicals like Marijuana has. This means that our youths will not be interested to some this hemp and instead, due to its economic benefits, we highly anticipate our youths to be empowered economically through cultivation of this profitable cash crop.” Said Nyirenda 

He further indicated that in 36 countries worldwide where the hemp is cultivated, there are no cases of its abuse and has also acknowledged that there is need for more sensitization about the crop.

Clarke; Industrial Hemp is harmless 

Also, Invegrow Limited founder, Tanya Clarke concurred with Nyirenda that Industrial Hemp is harmless and is an economic viable crop. She said unlike its genetic cousin marijuana, hemp, which is grown for its seeds and fibers, contains only minuscule amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, an ingredient that creates a sense of euphoria when smoked.

She underlined that the hemp is grown as agricultural commodity used in a wide range of products that include, health food, biofuels, building materials, cosmetics, textiles and much more. She assured that allowing and regulating legal cultivation of hemp would create a development opportunity for many Malawians and stimulate new industries and increase the country’s export base.

Currently, Invegrow Limited is working with the Government at Chitedze Research Station to trial different cultivars of low THC hemp and demonstrate small- scale production of growing the Industrial Hemp and according to Clarke, the data of the results will be out by April this year.

Malawi has already shown interest to grow Industrial Hemp as a new cash crop with hopes that Malawi stands to greatly benefit from such a versatile crop however, currently, the laws indicate that although cannabis products could be produced in Malawi under licence, (being part of the former British empire that was traditionally a major consumer of hemp products), its cultivation is not legal.

Malawi Land For Industrial Hemp, Mutharika Wants It Grown

A Malawian company ‘Invegrow’ says the country is potential land for Industrial Hemp farming in Africa continent and can offer enormous economic opportunity once it is adopted as cash crop.

 

Tanya Clarke

Invegrow Founder and Director, Tanya Clarke disclosed this in Lilongwe when her company and another South African company, Hemporium were making presentations of importance of Industrial Hemp and how it must be disassociated with Indian Hemp or Marijuana locally known as Chamba.

Clarke said Industrial Hemp not used for smoking can support diversify Malawi economy and offer opportunity for foreign exchange earnings.

She said; “Government is pushing for the agro-processing and farming, The Industrial Hemp is a crop with extremely economic potential and supports National Export Strategy of oil seed cluster in Malawi.”

Products from Industrial Hemp

Concrete for construction can be obtained fro the crop

From natural fibres of the crop, Clarke said can be used make range of products such as: food products for the health food market; construction materials and automotive industries; pharmaceutical products; cosmetics; and textiles.

Currently she said the crop is being grown in over 36 countries across the globe and the plant grows organically easily; grown without herbicides or a lot of pesticides.

“Climate is good here and almost everyone is an expert farmer, so we really see Malawi becoming a World Leader in Industrial Hemp” she added

Since, some people have got a very conservative view towards the plant and are very scared of hemp mostly due to regulations, Clarke, clarified that Industrial Hemp is not Marijuana but are of the same family. She said industrial hemp therefore does not contain psychoactive chemical elements that affect people when smoked.

The Invegrow founder has asked support from all Malawians to request Government have the Legislative changes of definitions of cannabis so that the hemp is adopted as a new cash crop in Malawi and Malawians benefiting from its products on both a health and economic level. However, she said this requires market access, creating production lines and showing a proof of concept model.

Tony Budden

To cement Invegrow’s remarks, Marketing Manager for Hemporium, Tony Budden, emphasized that the Industrial Hemp fibre is three times stronger than cotton. “Its fabrics are durable and long lasting and that its seeds are incredibly healthy source of protein and nutritious oils packed with all 8 of the Omega or essential fatty acids needed for immune system.” He said

                                          

“This crop fits so well into small scale farming and commercial farming. So the opportunities are definitely there.” He added

Budden also distanced the herb from Chamba saying the herb is not used for smoking it and is not a drug crop. But he said though, it is from the same family, it is used for different purposes.

“In nature we have to look at how we use things, the plant is not bad; some people use for bad purposes, while some people use for good purpose. So we are promoting the Industrial uses of the herb plant” he added

Budden also expressed hope of opportunity for change in Malawi looking at the way government has recently responded to calls for the approval of the plant and how people look at the plant now.

He said it is very important that government has allowed Chitedze Research Station to carryout study of the crop with funding from Invegrow (Government as a joint venture to do the research.)

The Hemporioum Marketing Director has emphasized that said it will be up to the government to make new regulations to allow Industrial Hemp grown and also Malawians to demand speedy enactment of the legislation so that they can begin to grow it and start to realize the benefits.

Hon Boniface Kadzamira: President Mutharika wants it

Meanwhile the Nchisi North Parliamentarian, Hon Boniface Kadzamira who first brought the issue in the National Assembly that the Industrial Hemp should be grown in Malawi, has hinted that President Peter Mutharika expressed his full support to idea that the herb be grown in the country during recent meeting with him.

“Government has seen the need to diversify and try Industrial Hemp” said the parliamentarian who could not hide his excitement following government go ahead to Chitedze Research Station for trials of growing the plant.

“Since I mention this issue in Parliament, I see change in people’s opinion toward the plant because at first they thought I was talking about Marijuana. But now people from my constituency and others from across the country are calling to ask for the seeds” said Kadzamira

However, the parliamentarian has since urged media to create awareness on the economic benefits of the hemp and how it is different from Marijuana because at the moment he said Malawians knows little on this matter.