Mmegi

LEA eyes hemp production incubator

Green economy: Hemp production has taken off in South Africa and Lesotho
Green economy: Hemp production has taken off in South Africa and Lesotho

The Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) has announced plans to establish a hemp production incubator, marking a shift in its approach to agricultural innovation in the country.

Speaking at the Glen Valley Horticulture Incubator graduation ceremony on Tuesday, LEA acting CEO Godfrey Molefe said the programme would explore the economic potential of industrial hemp whilst building on the success of LEA’s existing horticulture initiatives.

Molefe described hemp as a crop with “a myriad of possibilities,” highlighting its applications in construction materials like hempcrete, bricks, textiles, and other bio-composites.

Editor's Comment
Don't let FMD outbreak drag on

Acting Agriculture Minister, Edwin Dikoloti, is right in saying opening an export-ready facility whilst Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is still spreading would risk getting the whole country blacklisted before a single carcass leaves the door.A ban like that would break the already stressed nation. So, the postponement, painful as it is, is the right thing to do. The local economy is being squeezed from both ends. FMD has already slammed the door...

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