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Legal exploitation of cannabis for medical use. © WARREN TODA/EPA/Newscom/MaxPPP

In Focus | Southern Africa
Southern Africa's other green revolution

Published on 19.10.2020 at 05:00 GMT Reading time 8 minutes

The slow legalisation of the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, which got under way in Canada and the United States in 2016, has started a veritable agricultural revolution in Africa. From the mountains of Lesotho to the South African coast, taking in Malawi and Zimbabwe, the sector's major operators have set up partnerships with local entrepreneurs able to oversee plantations and talk to governments about the liberalisation of a form of cultivation which is still largely forbidden on the continent.

When Refiloe Matekane gave up the chairmanship of the all-powerful state-owned Lesotho Electricity Company in August, he made an unusual career choice for a man who used to be principal secretary at Lesotho's Ministry of Police. He decided to devote his time to his growing portfolio of cannabis-growing companies. Since 2017, he has been chairman of

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In Focus | Southern Africa
Southern Africa's other green revolution

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Indigo Publications' websites

In Focus | Southern Africa Southern Africa's other green revolution

This article may be accessed by subscribers

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create a free account

Related topics to this article

Read also

Lesotho Diplomats from Dublin to Pretoria keep close watch on former PM Thabane ex-wife's murder trial

Lesotho, SADC, South Africa Josias van Zyl inches towards compensation for sunken diamonds

In Focus | Morocco Super technocrat Driss Benhima opens the way for the liberalisation of cannabis growing

South Africa William Gray pursues father's strategy at helm of Orbis

Ethiopia Central bank turns up heat on TPLF's khat baron backers

South Africa Judge Dennis Davis still chasing wealthiest taxpayers

South Africa Offshore tax specialists' mixed reaction to end of ban on loop structures

Africa King Kong Organics drums up cannabis business across the continent

Mali Cannabis mogul Carl Esprey snaps up golden deal in Garalo

Spotlight | Mozambique Heroin now Total's chief security challenge in Cabo Delgado

Africa Kojo Annan cannabis partner, Carl Esprey places cards on mining

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

In Focus | Southern Africa
Southern Africa's other green revolution

Lesotho
Diplomats from Dublin to Pretoria keep close watch on former PM Thabane ex-wife's murder trial

Lesotho, SADC, South Africa
Josias van Zyl inches towards compensation for sunken diamonds

In Focus | Morocco
Super technocrat Driss Benhima opens the way for the liberalisation of cannabis growing

South Africa
William Gray pursues father's strategy at helm of Orbis

Ethiopia
Central bank turns up heat on TPLF's khat baron backers

South Africa
Judge Dennis Davis still chasing wealthiest taxpayers

South Africa
Offshore tax specialists' mixed reaction to end of ban on loop structures

Africa
King Kong Organics drums up cannabis business across the continent

Mali
Cannabis mogul Carl Esprey snaps up golden deal in Garalo

Spotlight | Mozambique
Heroin now Total's chief security challenge in Cabo Delgado

Africa
Kojo Annan cannabis partner, Carl Esprey places cards on mining