Via H3 Legal South Africa
“Government’s Indigenous Crops Policy Is a Breakthrough — but Cannabis Remains Excluded.”
The statement welcomes the Minister of Agriculture’s recent declaration recognising indigenous crops and medicinal plants under the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, which opens long-overdue opportunities for rural communities and traditional healers.
However, it also raises serious concern that cannabis (Cannabis sativa) — arguably South Africa’s most culturally and economically significant indigenous plant — was excluded from this policy reform.
The release highlights:
- The economic potential of over R12 billion annually from declared indigenous crops;
- The additional R20–R25 billion per year that could be unlocked if cannabis were integrated under the same framework; and
- The need for policy alignment between the MAP Act, the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act, and the National Cannabis & Hemp Commercialisation Policy.
This is a pivotal moment for inclusive agricultural reform and the recognition of indigenous knowledge systems.
We call on government to take the next logical step — to include cannabis within South Africa’s indigenous agricultural economy.
