WHO WE ARE

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Mission

The ICA:

  • Promotes industrial hemp and medical cannabis in a regulated market as viable cash crops

  • Encourages transparent education and awareness around the crops

  • Advocates to bring a legitimate and positive framework, effectively implemented by Government, for Malawian industry.

Goals

  • Lobby responsibly and transparently for industrial hemp and medical cannabis in Malawi

  • Achieve much needed reforms - responsible and modern legislative reform through positive engagement is crucial for cannabis and industrial hemp

  • Be an inclusive and proactive Association 

  • Promote dialogue and diversity among our members

  • Offer a safe platform where different players in various sectors can interact

  • Inform and develop relationships with all interested stakeholders

  • Create vibrant industries that benefit Malawians through employment, income generation and economic development.


Steps

01.
prudent Legislation

Achieve prudent, modern legislation for cannabis and industrial hemp that will allow products to be cultivated, processed and exported from Malawi

02.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Promote interaction and linkages among members, investors, JV opportunities and partnerships.

03.
CROP
education

Educate members and the general public about hemp, medical cannabis and other potential industrial crops and facilitate the provision of technical expertise.

04.
BENEFIT FOR
MALAWI

In addition to job creation, through a transparent and innovative licencing regime, the Government can raise significant taxes from modern industrial crops that can be channeled back into developing Malawi.

 
 

Creative adaptability and innovation are the keys to a successful Malawi

 
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History 

It all started FOR THE ICA when …

In 2015, the first trial licence was given by the President to investigate low-THC industrial hemp as a potential cash crop for Malawi. This was back in 2015 and was done under the auspices of Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS) in Malawi’s Capital, Lilongwe. Trials were completed on ten imported varieties which were then tested for growth in other parts of the country.

The collaboration between the private sector and Government has been an exciting one and the results showed that industrial hemp is viable for Malawi. Medical cannabis joined trails thereafter and it too was shown to potentially be a extremely lucrative industry for Malawi. We have excellent climatic conditions for it!


WHY THE FOCUS ON INDUSTRIAL HEMP & MEDICAL CANNABIS …

Industrial hemp is the low-THC (non psychoactive) variety of the Cannabis plant and is grown and processed for its seed and its stalk. These can be processed into so many products, developing other Malawian sectors along with it.

  • Seed oil and cake for health food and cosmetics

  • fibre for textiles - everything from toilet paper to t-shirts

  • and even building materials including whole climate-change resilient houses.

All varieties produce flowers, where cannabinoids are located, but are present in different concentrations depending on the variety of plant. Cannabinoids such as CBD ,THC, CBG, CBN etc are extracted for their health, medicinal and nutra-ceutical benefits.

Over 40 countries worldwide cultivate industrial hemp, but Africa lags behind. With our excellent climate, possibility of low-cost open field cultivation, willing and able farmers, and extensive experience in agriculture, industrial hemp could provide income generating opportunities for individuals, farmers, companies and government alike. Malawi is a first mover, having conducted four years of trials and research is still ongoing, but other countries in Africa are fast catching up.

Medical cannabis describes the end use of the Cannabis plant that is being grown. It is often the higher THC (psychoactive) variety of the plant (but not exclusively) that is cultivated for medicinal and pharmaceutical purposes. The plants are grown from cuttings in highly regulated and controlled environments to ensure consistency and quality. Depending on the level of regulation and certification, plants for this end use are typically grown indoors in greenhouses. The extract and flowers themselves are very lucrative since USA and Canada (and many others coming soon) have opened up the medical cannabis and recreational marijuana sectors.

Malawi may be able to benefit from this, but compliance to international standards is rigorous and significant investment will be required. It could be an exciting revenue earner for the Government. That means more money that can be channeled into schools, healthcare and transport service and infrastructure for the good of Malawi and its people.


Photo Gallery 

Explore some of ICAs activities to date. These have included: government meetings, hemp training sessions, press interviews and a TedX talk, sample growing under a temporary research licence, seed trials, oil expelling and product testing. We have sampled food and cosmetic creation, paper making, fabric development and we have even built a hempcrete house!