The horticulture industry, whether it's tomatoes, cannabis, or hemp, has consistently suffered from a lack of skilled workforce. This challenge can be particularly acute in sectors like hemp, which have only recently become regulated—such as cannabis. As new markets establish legal frameworks for operations, businesses inevitably face the longstanding issue of finding skilled workers. This is why David Katerere, a professor at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa, created the Hemp Farming 101 course at his university. "I first became involved in the cannabis world through a collaboration with Federico II University in Naples, Italy, where I realized the significant medical potential of cannabis," he explains. This realization occurred in 2018, just as South Africa was beginning to regulate the industry.
Cannabis in Southern Africa
In Southern Africa, South Africa was relatively late to enter the scene. Lesotho had already made significant strides and Zimbabwe had recently legalized, but then the COVID-19 pandemic struck. During these challenging times, David initiated a webinar series to keep people connected, with cannabis being one of the topics covered. This initiative created a broad network, attracting participants even from the US to discuss safe access to cannabis.
When contacted by Buffalo Extraction Systems (BES), David gained deeper insights into the business and market side of cannabis. Subsequently, he and his university strategically decided to intervene in the cannabis value chain to support regional businesses. This led to the establishment of the TUT/CSIR Cannabis and Hemp Research Hub, equipped with a cannabis extraction machine from BES. They utilized this facility to assist farmers in the region with processing materials—a skill many farmers lacked. "We started offering contract extraction services to licensed growers of cannabis and hemp, in addition to other high-value natural products," he explains.
Through these experiences, David and the Tshwane University of Technology identified a significant shortage of skilled workers, especially in the hemp sector in South Africa. "Initially, there was no regulatory distinction between medical cannabis and hemp," David clarifies. This created a high barrier to entry into the medical cannabis industry. "Setting up a MMJ business is quite challenging," he says. "The upfront investment required is around $2.5-5 million, which excludes many potential entrepreneurs. A similar investment for hemp production was simply impractical for over 900,000 rural farmers who could potentially benefit from this crop. Thus, the question arose: how do you integrate these individuals into the legal value chain?"
Around 2021-2022, hemp was finally removed from the medical registry and placed under the authority of the Department of Agriculture. This change significantly reduced the required investment to approximately $50. "You no longer need special conditions to cultivate industrial hemp," David explains. Today, South Africa boasts over 1,100 hemp permit holders, and the industry is flourishing. Hemp provides an opportunity for legacy farmers to get into the industry though this discussion is not going on.
Addressing the vows of the hemp sector
However, challenges remain. "We currently lack locally adapted hemp seeds," David points out. "There are two varieties, SA Hemp 1 and SA Hemp 2, undergoing certification. All other seeds must be imported, necessitating adaptation to local conditions. There's a critical need for research to adapt and certify these seeds, which our university has recently begun."
Moreover, there's a need for growers to be formally trained to cultivate hemp and hemp seeds. "That's why we've launched two courses," David elaborates. "One is an extraction course currently in its pilot phase with our students. The second is Theory and Practice of Hemp Farming, a 3 – day course that started on January 15th with 24 staff and students being trained. We're piloting this with Kutsaga Institute in Zimbabwe as a technical partner and we have the goal of expanding it across the region, not just in South Africa."
Yet, cultivating hemp alone isn't profitable without a clear market strategy. This is why the university also offers a course on entrepreneurial creativity, Design Thinking for Bioentrepreneurs in Africa in collaboration with UI-Global. "We want students to think about what products they can create from hemp," David emphasizes. "Start with market demand and work backward."
As a university, its mission extends beyond education to increasing access to knowledge. "Our entry fees are affordable, and we're working to get sponsors to subsidize the costs for community members who are motivated to build hemp businesses," David adds. "Ultimately, our university's mission includes teaching, learning, research, and community engagement. Teaching and learning should always benefit the community—that's how we create meaningful change in both markets and people's lives."
For more information:
Tshwane University of Technology
086 110 2421
[email protected]
tut.ac.za