On a crisp morning in the heart of Manyana village, community members gathered at the Manyana Kgotla to learn about a plant once shrouded in silence: cannabis. The Kgotla is where voices meet. It is where knowledge is shared, consensus is built, and dignity is upheld.
This gathering was part of the Know Thy Plant campaign, a flagship public education initiative led by the Cannabis Association of Botswana (CAB). With a powerful message of cultural reclamation, legal awareness, and economic empowerment, CAB is turning the page on cannabis in Botswana.
Cannabis is about history and the future
“We are not just talking about a crop—we are talking about our history, our rights, and our future,” said Peo Seed (pictured here), Founder and President of CAB, as she addressed a captivated audience. “Our vision is a cannabis sector that heals—not just medically, but socially and economically.”
From Stigma to Sovereignty: The CAB vision at its core is built on three interlinked pillars: Community empowerment, policy advocacy, and economic opportunity. Together, these priorities form the foundation of an inclusive, culturally respectful cannabis economy in Botswana. “We’re making sure that the people who’ve traditionally used and protected this plant—women, healers, and farmers—are not left out of the legal conversation or the economic benefits,” explained Peo Seed.
With a women-led leadership structure and collaborations with legal bodies like Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC) and Rantao Attorneys, CAB ensures that Botswana’s cannabis reform reflects indigenous knowledge systems, gender equity and traditional rights.
Given that cannabis is often stigmatised across much of Africa, the emergence of organizations such as CAB is a breath of fresh air. The advocacy group formally launched in April this year after existing as a community since 2020, with a mandate to ensure that the upcoming cannabis economy in Botswana is fair, representative and inclusive.
Says Peo Seed: “We work directly with women, youth, farmers, the business sector and indigenous leaders to ensure their voices shape the cannabis sector from the ground up. CAB fosters grassroots education, preserves traditional cannabis knowledge, and supports local ownership through cooperative models and inclusive licensing advocacy. “
The organisation has recently been embarking on a series of awareness-raising events known as Know Thy Plant, with its latest session at Manyana Kgotla well-attended and a resounding success.
Grassroots approach to destigmatization
Know Thy Plant is a public engagement process that facilitates community dialogue and brings together legal and health experts and shares personal testimonials including voices from key institutions. The objective is to inform, reduce stigma and encourage citizen-driven participation in cannabis-related policy development.
The success of the Manyana Kgotla session serves a few key lessons including the essence of a grassroots-based approach and the co-option and participation of traditional and community leaders. At its head was Kgosi Mosielele, Chief of Bahurutse and Member of the House of Chiefs. Peo herself has worked with regional legal experts and community matriarchs, which uniquely positions CAB at the intersection of feminist policy, indigenous knowledge, and economic innovation.
CAB is no doubt blazing a trail that should be the envy of many African governments and their relevant departments, given that most African countries are failing to make actionable progress after adopting cannabis-friendly legislation due to ongoing stigmatization – Zambia and Kenya being examples. This is largely traced to ignorance between high-THC medicinal cannabis and low-THC hemp, suitable for industrial and other applications.
The new Botswana government has been championing hemp innovation as a way to diversify a mineral-based economy and to also create jobs and reduce youth and rural unemployment after coming to power in November last year. The country’s draft cannabis regulations were earlier this year referred back to Parliament for further deliberation after the opposition criticised them as not being representative enough.
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