The African Industrial Hemp Fibre Processing for Commercialization Conference 2026, is supported by the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the Federation of International Hemp Organizations (FIHO) and will bring together provincial political heavyweights, regulators and private sector stakeholders intent on making KwaZulu’s a significant player in the sunrise sector.
Event organizers, Ledile Textile and Fibre Processing says the event is for “visionaries, cultivators, investors, and industry leaders to unlock the transformative potential of industrial hemp in South Africa. The conference is more than a gathering—it’s a strategic platform for collaboration, innovation, and investment. Attendees will gain exclusive insights into emerging trends, regulatory developments, and sustainable practices shaping the future of hemp”
The conference will be the first major gathering of key the industrial cannabis players from both government and the private sector this year, and follows the recent release of the LSF study which said South Africa was sitting on a R40 billion market opportunity in the hemp sector, but lacked the coherent policies to realise that.
Although the focus is on hemp fibre, the entire hemp policy framework will come under the spotlight and the event is being pitched as a serious networking event as there will be some heavy-hitters in the room.
Senior officials are expected to turn out in numbers, with attendance confirmed of several keynote speakers including Musa Zondi, KwaZulu Natal MEC for Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa, MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Ncusisa Mcata-Mhlauli of the DTIC, SEDFA’s Duma Maqabela, Dr Siphe Zansi of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Sadhvir Bissoon, head of standards at the SA Bureau of Standards, and Dr Felleng Yende of the Fibre and Processing and Manufacturing SETA.
The founder and CEO of the Zimbabwe Industrial Hemp Association (ZIHA), Dr Zorodzai ‘Zoey’ Maroveke and Proudly SA’s Eustace Mashimbya are also keynote speakers while Rick Fox will represent FIHO providing insights from Europe and Australia.
There will be panel sessions and specialist workshops on:
· Hemp agriculture and genetics;
· Industrial applications – textiles, construction, biofuels, plastic
· Textile and fibre processing;
· Green energy, food and pharmaceuticals, carbon credits
· Investment and market developments
· Regulation and standards
· Research and future opportunities
For more information or to register- click here
