Botswana Last Mile Conference Looking to Establish Medical Cannabis Framework
Botswana hosts the First Mile Cannabis Conference on 30 January 2026 which puts medical cannabis on the map, now a hemp framework has been established. The Africa Canada Chamber of Commerce Conference and Expo will look specifically at how medical cannabis can fit into Botswana’s evolving cannabis development programme.
SACHIDA Working with Botswana Government to Design Landrace Protection Programme
High license fees could complicate the transfrontier cannabis landrace initiative between SACHIDA and Botswana’s agricultural researchers, but as SACHIDA’s Cian McLelland says, ‘we’ll see where that conversation goes” when the Association visits Gaberone this weekend for the Canda Africa Cannabis and Hemp Trade Expo.
“Botswana License Fee Outrage: You Owe Us an Explanation!’
A leading player in the fledgling Botswana industrial cannabis industry, Oratile Masala, has called on the Government to explain the rationale behind the exorbitant hemp license fees gazetted this month. Masala, who is the Hemp Business Summit CEO, says the fees are “unrealistic, unfair and exclusionary’, as Africa Editor John Makoni reports.
Botswana’s New Industrial Cannabis License Fees: Only Players with Deep Pockets Need Apply
Botswana’s recently released its industrial cannabis license fees which will be well beyond the affordabiity of the local farming and small business community. There are seven license categories with different fees for citizens, non-citizens and joint ventures.
Africa’s Evolving Cannabis Policies: It’s All About the Money, Forget About the People
The evolution of cannabis policy in Africa bears a striking resemblance to the colonial expansion of the 19th century. Without exception, every African state that has partially legalized cannabis is doing so to earn foreign exchange at the expense of using the plant’s potential in public healthcare or job creation.
Botswana Gazettes Cannabis Regulations – All Focus on Exports, Strict Prohibition Back Home
Botswana’s new cannabis framework has been described as ‘the most detailed cannabis control regime’ in Africa. The Cannabis Act of 2025, published on 12 January 2026, favours big business in that it’s export-orientated, prohibits adult-use and does not allow for the developmet of a domestic cannabis economy.
Kenyan Rastas Face Pushback as Cannabis Prohibition Challenge Goes to High Court
The Rastafarian quest to have their cannabis rights recognized is becoming a pan-African phenomenon. Rastas in Kenya are challenging the country’s cannabis prohibition laws, following a strategy of activism developed in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. However, as Africa Editor John Makoni reports, they are facing organized resistance.
Morocco Begins Cannabis and Poultry Study to Replace Antibiotics in Animal Feed
Moroccan animal scientists believe processed cannabis sativa residue could boost the Kingdom’s poultry industry with a substitute for antibiotics that would also produce healthier meat. An agreement has been signed between Morocco’s cannabis regulator and the country’s leading veterinary science institute to begin scalable feasibility studies .
Morocco Breaks the Muslim Mould in Embracing the Power of Cannabis
King Mohammed IV (pictured here) has broken ranks with other Muslim countries in choosing to see no contradiction between the partial legalization of cannabis and the teachings of the Quran. The Moroccan leader has put the Kingdom on a course of leveraging its cannabis history and its black market dominance into the mainstream.
Snapshot Summary of the the World’s Most Significant Cannabis Developments in 2025
The International Business Conference Berlin says South Africa’s cannabis landscape changed significantly in 2025 and was one of 13 major highlights of the year. As the new year dawns, the ICBC looks back on a year that proved to be significant for cannabis policy and industry in many parts of the world. Here are some of the top 2025 international cannabis stories.