A group of farmers have dispelled the myth that government initiatives seldom have an impact on the lives of ordinary, real people.
Among the issues under discussion were that of regulations, registration, production, agro processing and exports. “We want our farmers to be the champions of the cannabis sector and we want them to be able to speak for themselves. We are giving them an assignment to come closer to us because what we have started together, will change people’s lives,” Duma said.
“I applied for my permit in July because I want to start extracting oil to use in our hairspray. We also manufacture shea butter which will soon be hemp infused. Nonhlanhla Qhoboshiyane, a hemp and cannabis farmer from Durban, who was introduced to the plants after falling ill, said she was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the informative expo.
“I am confident that the collaborative commitment to work together which characterises our society, will find expression in the Hemp and Cannabis Phakisa, leading to immediate short term regulatory reform, the adoption of a set of foundational policy principles to achieve longer term legislative reform and a detailed plan to achieve inclusive growth and investment,” the President said at the time.