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Hemp Medical Cannabis Industry Acronyms

What is Cannabis?

The technical answer? Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. C. ruderalis may however be included within C. sativa; all three can be treated as subspecies of a single species, C. sativa; or C. sativa may be accepted as a single undivided species. The genus is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from Central Asia.

The difference between hemp & medical cannabis

Industrial hemp

This is the low-THC (non psychoactive) variety of the Cannabis plant. It is grown and processed for its seed and stalk. These are processed into:

• seed oil and cake (for food and cosmetics)

• fibre (for textiles like clothing and rope)

• and building materials (like hemp housing).

All varieties of the cannabis plant produce flowers, where cannabinoids are located, but these present in different concentrations depending on the variety of the plant. Cannabinoids such as CBD ,THC, CBG and CBN 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 governments alike. Malawi is a first mover, having conducted four years of trials and research that is still ongoing, but other countries in Africa are fast catching up.

Medical cannabis

This 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!) have opened up medical cannabis and recreational marijuana sectors. Malawi may be able to benefit from this, but compliance to international standards is very rigorous and significant investment is required. If exportable, Malawi grown cannabis will be an exciting revenue earner for the Government. Taxes from this should be channeled back into services like roads, transport, schools and health clinics for the good of Malawi and its people.

Where can I read about Malawi’s Cannabis Act or licensing fees?

The ICA has copies of the originally published documents saved on our resources page.
Click to read the full Cannabis Act or license fee structure.

How do I get a Malawi cannabis license?

Licenses are not issued to individuals but to companies or cooperatives. If you do not yet have a registered Malawian organisation, you will need one. Malawi Investment and Trade Centre oversees this process.

Thereafter, the first step is knowing the regulations you have to adhere to. Read the Act on our FAQ page. Then, visit the DARS research station along Airwing off Mchinji Road in Lilongwe for a printed out application form or email to have a pdf of the Cannabis Regulatory Authority (CRA) application form emailed back to you. Complete the form. For growers, this includes disclosing plot size, GPS coordinate location, providing the details of and agreements you have with off taker businesses who will process, transport and retail your product. And attaching a copy of your comprehensive business plan. You then submit this with a one off non-refundable processing fee via email, by posting to CRA - PO Box 30779, Lilongwe or by dropping the forms off in person at DARS. Next you wait to hear back from the CRA - they are aiming for a 21 day turn around to assess applications. If unsuccessful, you may be given 10 working days to provide further information. If successful, play the applicable license fee. A license will be issued with 12 months validity. If you reapply to remain operational after the 12 month mark, the same fee applies again. The CRA are currently evaluating whether license holders seeking renewal with be able to get 3 or 5 year renewals after the first 12 months. Nothing has been gazetted on this as yet. To read the Act or fee structure visit the ICA resource page. For more information contact the CRA Director General on +265991386779 or ketulosalipira@gmail.com

If you are denied a license by the CRA you can still be involved in Malawi’s hemp and cannabis industries by becoming a member of the ICA. You can attend our training sessions, meet and collaborate with fellow members - a lot of whom will be license holders - and help us to lobby the government on the wants and needs of the industry. Becoming a member will also help you find off takers or investors to devise your hemp business strategy for the license application. Find out more about our membership options or apply online to join us on our How we work page.

Who is the Cannabis Regulatory Authority and how do I reach them directly?

The CRA is the authority set up by the Government to oversee the development and ongoing regulation of a high-quality legal industrial hemp and medical cannabis industry based on the provisions set out in the Cannabis Act. The Act, released in February of 2020, outlines more on the CRA in Parts 2 and 3 and also includes information on licences, inspections and cannabis usage. For the Act’s fee structure, see the fee addendum.

The CRA will largely be self-funded through its licence and infringement fees. It will assess applications on a rolling basis and monitor the legality of growers through inspectors. This is to regulate the crop against illegal growers of chamba and to ensure Malawi builds a reputable industry to attract export market opportunities. Because it has taken Malawi a good few years to get to this stage, all of our neighbours throughout Africa are now also developing hemp and medical cannabis industries. We need to create high quality crops and products to be competitive and successful. The CRA will be the controllers, responsible for ensuring this.

For more specific information, please reach out to the CRA Director General on +265991386779 or ketulosalipira@gmail.com. The CRA is currently based at the Chitedze Agriculture Research Station. This is 15km west of Lilongwe City Centre, down Mchinji Road, along Airwing.

Where can I purchase legal hemp & medical cannabis seed?

Malawi’s newly formed Cannabis Regulatory Authority has only a few approved seed suppliers at this stage. This is to ensure a premium industry develops, one which is renowned for its high quality licensed industrial hemp and medical cannabis. To procure seed to be used for national manufacturing and export products, please contact Invegrow: ihempmalawi@gmail.com. In conjunction with the Malawi Government, Invegrow has been conducting research on high-yielding, quality seeds under Malawi growth conditions for several years.

What is Industrial hemp and DOES IT HAVE THC?

Industrial hemp is the variety of Cannabis sativa that is non-psychoactive and can not be smoked. It contains almost no Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is like 'alcohol'. Like chillies, potatoes, or Eucalyptus, there are different varieties of Cannabis and industrial hemp is one of them. It is currently grown in over 40 countries around the world.

An analogy for Malawians is thobwa vs chibuku, where one is alcoholic and the other is not.

Is industrial hemp the same as Marijuana (Chamba)?

No, industrial hemp is not chamba. They are from the same family of Cannabis but they are different varieties- like different types of cassava, chillies and potatoes. They look similar but there are major physiological differences and these can be learned and bred.

The biggest difference is the THC levels and the reason for cultivating and processing it. Marijuana/chamba is grown for recreational, spiritual and medicinal purposes, whereas industrial hemp is mainly grown for food, CBD and industrial applications.

What is Industrial hemp used for?

Hemp can be grown as a renewable source for raw materials that can be incorporated into thousands of products. Industrial hemp produces around  an estimated 50,000 upstream and downstream products in food, cosmetics, construction materials, medicines, clothing and plastics. It produces a seed (or nut) that expels nutritious oil rich in Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, and the seed cake is high in a very digestible protein that is consumed worldwide for its health benefits. The flowers produce high value oils with excellent medicinal benefits. The stalk produces a very strong bast fibre that can be used for clothing and military grade fabric. The remaining ‘hurd’ is used in construction and to make bio-composites, a substitute for plastics.

One crop can produce housing, food, medicines and clothing!

What are the benefits of hemp compared to other food crops?

Hemp requires little fertilizer, and grows well almost everywhere. It also resists pests, so it uses little pesticides. Hemp puts down deep roots, which is good for the soil, and when the leaves drop off the hemp plant, minerals and nitrogen are returned to the soil. Hemp has been used to feed many populations in time of famine. Unfortunately, because of various political factors, starving people in today’s underdeveloped countries are not taking advantage of this crop. Industrial hemp foods are very nutritious and are not harmful to health because they do not contain anything toxic. The seed is a nutty oil that is expelled and used for food and cosmetics. The seed oil is rich in omega 3 & 6 fatty acids that is essential for brain development and nourishes the skin, hair and nails. The seed-cake can be refined into a very high protein powder on par with soya.

Visit Hemp Food Australia or Manitoba Harvest for more information on hemp foods.

Is industrial hemp grown elsewhere in the world?

Yes industrial hemp is grown in over 40 countries around the world, with the main producers being China (textiles), Canada (food), Australia (fibre) and Europe (fibre). Malawi stands to benefit from industrial hemp since it is an agricultural country with much expertise in this area, land and resources, and is centrally located for exports.

Are there markets for industrial hemp products?

The markets for hemp products are in the hundreds of millions since one crop can produce so many value added products. It really depends on the level of investment and the processing. In 2015, the US hemp retail market was around $570 million and the Hemp foods and body care products achieved a 10.4% growth (Hemp Industries Association). The CBD and pharmaceutical products are adding many more millions onto this amount and Africa remains largely untapped.

Can we value add to industrial hemp in Malawi?

Yes, we absolutely must value- add.  You do not just sell the leaf as with tobacco. A farmer can sell the seed or stalk to a contracted buyer, but then the raw material must be processed into something further.

The ICA’s commitment is to see as much of the wealth and income coming back to Malawi as possible. Some of the products will be for export, but we want to see hemp final products being used and made locally. Import substitution is also very important and therefore we want to see value addition from other Malawians companies that can help stimulate the local economy too.

What is Medical cannabis?

Medical cannabis indicates the end use of the plant for medical or pharmaceutical purposes. The varieties used are often high in THC and have a vast spectrum of cannabinoids in the flowers. The ratios in the varieties are often created for high end medical use, and requires specialised analytical capability. The way it is cultivated for this industry is very technical and requires high spec conditions ensuring quality, consistency and homogeneity. In this scenario, a mother plant is used and cuttings taken from it to produce many baby plants. They are grown in controlled conditions and free from the risk of contamination from outside cannabis plants. They are all females and must be kept free from any male pollen in order to secure yields and quality. Outdoor growing is feasible and would reduce costs, as long as there is no risk of contamination. The investment would depend on the end market and the end product, whether flower or extract.

What is GMP?

Good Manufacturing Practices. These are the practices required in order to conform to the guidelines recommended by agencies that control the authorization and licensing of the manufacture and sale of food and beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, dietary supplements, and medical devices. These guidelines provide minimum requirements that a manufacturer must meet to assure that their products are consistently high in quality, from batch to batch, for their intended use. The rules that govern each industry may differ significantly; however, the main purpose of GMP is always to prevent harm from occurring to the end user. Additional tenets include ensuring the end product is free from contamination, that it is consistent in its manufacture, that its manufacture has been well documented, that personnel are well trained, and the product has been checked for quality more than just at the end phase. GMP is typically ensured through the effective use of a quality management systems.

Good manufacturing practices, along with good agricultural practices, good laboratory practices and good clinical practices, are overseen by regulatory agencies in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Europe, China, India and other countries.

What is GAP?

Good Agricultural Practices. Good agricultural practices are "practices that address environmental, economic and social sustainability for on-farm processes, and result in safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products" (FAO 2003). Good agricultural practices (GAP) codes, standards and regulations are guidelines which have been developed in recent years by the food industry, producers' organizations, governments and NGOs, aiming to codify agricultural practices at farm level for a range of commodities. The benefits of GAP codes, standards and regulations are numerous, including food quality and safety improvement; facilitation of market access and reduction in non-compliance risks regarding permitted pesticides, MRLs and other contamination hazards. The main challenges related to GAP implementation include an increase in production costs, especially record keeping, residue testing and certification, and inadequate access to information and support services.