cannabisnews.com: South Africa Plans to Grow Hemp to Help Farmers South Africa Plans to Grow Hemp to Help Farmers Posted by FoM on June 21, 2000 at 13:07:31 PT Reuters Source: Mercury Center South Africa plans to grow hemp commercially to help impoverished rural people even though the plant is illegal, a provincial agriculture minister said Wednesday.The Eastern Cape province has been granted a special license to start growing hemp, which is forbidden in the rest of the country because it falls under legislation governing marijuana. The province's agriculture minister, Max Mamase, said a small pilot project of four sites totaling about 10 acres of hemp had proved its viability.``Hemp is ideal for the Eastern Cape given the levels of poverty there and the level of subsistence agriculture. If we bring in hemp it will change the method of production on communal farms,'' Mamase told Reuters.Speaking on the sidelines of an agri-business conference near Johannesburg, Mamase said he expected hemp to be legalized within three years. The national departments of agriculture, health and environmental affairs are working on new legislation.Marijuana, which looks nearly identical to hemp, is widely grown in South Africa's rural areas and provides many families in remote areas an important additional income.Johannesburg (Reuters)Published: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 © 2000 Mercury Center. CannabisNews Hemp Archives: http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/hemp.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by Mbinda on June 28, 2001 at 04:07:48 PT: Good Business Oportunity Thank you for opting for the best and worst solution. In the muslim religion pork is the taboo but in the absency of food it is allowed to eat it, Nehashe liyatyiwa Enfazweni.Poverty in the provice needs people with guards like MEC Mamase, industrialisation of hemp is going to face the same opposition as legalisation of abortion and the ban on death penalties.They will come in to terms with it as they grow and you would have helped to what ever extent improved economic status of some families.I will avail my support by supplying the most approved fertiliser in the farming industry, in the Asian region,good part of Europe and Australia, should you wish to enquire further about the product Call this South African in Indonesia Tel +62 21 7260023 Fax +62 21 7267566 We are 5 hours ahead of South Africa.Revolutionary greetings to all [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by steve1 on June 22, 2000 at 09:53:06 PT what! who's idea was it to make hemp and marijuana illegal in South Africa anyway? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: