HEMP RESEARCH AT THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

1. HEMP RESEARCH AT THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL By Dr Shadrack Moephuli President and CEO 31 January 2017

2. INTRODUCTION • The role of the Agricultural Research Council • Major research results to date • Challenges experienced in the execution of current research • Further areas of research to be undertaken to support sustainable hemp production in South Africa

3. ARC MANDATE, VISION & MISSION

4. ARC ALIGNMENT TO NATIONAL PRIORITIES AND POLICIES

5. ARC CONTRIBUTION TO GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES & OUTCOMES • Supporting objectives of the National Development Plan, Vision 2030 through an ARC business strategy and organization structure aligned to national priorities; • Employment and Job creation, particularly among the poor; • Food and Nutrition Security for all, particularly within households; • Improved productivity, production, competitiveness and sustainability of animal and crop based agriculture; • Contributing to bio – security; • Optimal technology platforms for agricultural production; • Strengthening the role of the bio – economy (the “Farmer to Pharma Value Chain”) to enable South Africa to become a leader in Biotechnology and related pharmaceuticals through our knowledge base; • Enabling the country to adapt and respond to climate change impacts (water, land, energy, sustainable natural resource utilization etc) • Contributing to South Africa’s Global and Regional positioning and integration; and, • Ensuring an optimal and sustainable organization.

6. ARC STRATEGIC GOALS (Outcomes – Oriented) • To generate knowledge and technologies that will enhance the efficiencies in crop based agriculture; • To generate knowledge and technologies that will enhance the efficiencies in livestock based agriculture; • To generate knowledge and technologies for the conservation and utilisation of natural resources; • To generate knowledge, solutions and technologies for food safety, quality and improved efficiencies in the agriculture value chain; • Translate research outputs in order to generate knowledge, facilitate decision making and contribute to the transformation in the agriculture sector; and • Apply resource management practices, towards a high performing and visible organisation.

7. SCIENCE IN ARC FOR THE AGRICULTURE ECONOMY SCIENCE COUNCIL • Innovation in science • Basic/fundamental research • Applied research (technologies) • Intellectual assets • Skilled scientists & engineers • Volume & quality publications • Scientist ratings • Number of PhDs • Number of doctoral fellows • Number of postdoc fellows • Scientific awards AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT • Economic link to Innovation • Applied research • Technology Transfer/dissemination • Intellectual Asset Use • Agricultural Production & productivity • Food Security – hunger • Environmental Sustainability • Import Substitution • Export Promotion • Agrarian Transformation • New products (vaccines, cultivars etc)

8. ARC PROGRAMMES • Crop Production, Improvement and Protection • Animal Health, Production and Improvement • Natural Resources Management • Mechanisation and Engineering • Agro-processing, Food Technology and Safety • Smallholder Agricultural Development • Agricultural Economics and Commercialization • Training and Extension • Administration and Corporate Affairs

9. 9 INITIAL HEMP RESEARCH • The ARC began research on hemp more than 20 years ago, and the main focus has been on the production of hemp fibre (textiles and bio-composites). Imported varieties were evaluated for fibre production adaptability. • From the imported varieties evaluated, 3 were identified and recommended for fibre production under South African conditions (Kompolti, Novasadska & Futura-77) with Kompolti being the best performers. • Agronomic and other studies were conducted, and the trials proved that the crop could be viably produced in South Africa. A Hemp Production Guideline was published in collaboration with Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture.

10. 10 BREEDING RESEARCH • Considering that there are no registered hemp cultivars in South Africa, the objective was to develop South African hem cultivars for fibre production that will perform on par or better than the best recommended imported varieties, with low content of tetrahydrocannibinol (THC – the primary ingredient in marijuana responsible for the high). While marijuana plants contain high levels of THC, hemp contains very little of the psychoactive chemical. This single difference is one of the most reliable factors to distinguish hemp from marijuana. • Hemp is sensitive to day-length (flowering is triggered during short day-length <14h), and as such, successful trials were located in the coastal areas and extreme latitudes such as in Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces. Additional research trials are undertaken in glasshouses under supplementary lighting at the ARC campus of Industrial Crops in Rustenburg.

11. 11 BREEDING RESEARCH CONT… • A number of accessions and varieties were imported from various countries, and the ARC developed two (2) industrial hemp lines, named SA Hemp1 and SA Hemp2, both of which are suitable for fibre production. • These hemp varieties (SA Hemp1 & 2) were tested over a period of 7 years with Kompolti as control cultivar for these experiments. The project was co-funded by ARC and House of Hemp. SA Hemp1 & 2 have consistently outperformed or perfomed on par with Kompolti in all parameters that were measured with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content within the allowed limits from year to year. • Seasonal evaluation trials are dependent on issuance of permits from Department of Health to plant hemp, and these are issued annually on request by the ARC, as a control measure to limit public access to hemp. • Recent trials were planted in December 2016 for 4 sites, namely: (i) Rustenburg, NW (ARC property), (ii) Addo, E. Cape (ARC property), (iii) George, W. Cape (Provincial Agric. Dept), and (iv) Robertson, W. Cape (ARC property)

12. 12 BREEDING RESEARCH CONT… • Final stage of evaluation will be to plant these two lines on a commercial scale to determine their true potential in order to enable registration and commercialization. This is dependent on approved legalization of hemp. • Future breeding research will also need to focus on priorities that will lead to successful commercialization, such as: (i) Seed production of South African cultivars (ii) Evaluation and development of cultivars for seed production for oil extraction (iii) Evaluation and development of cultivars for Cnnabidol (CBD). Cannabinoids is one of over 60 compounds found in cannabis that is used for medicinal purposes. • Finalisation of the feasibility study under the auspices of DAFF is major dependency for commercialization.

13. 13 MENTORING SUPPORT FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMSERS TO COMMERCIALISE HEMP • The ARC entered into an agreement with House o Hemp to assist in the mentoring of smallholder farmers in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape & Kwa-Zulu Natal • The mentoring programme was based on the cultivation of hemp for fibre production including the following: (i) Soil preparation, (ii) Method of planting, (iii) Fertilization (iv) Irrigation (vi) Weed control (vii) Harvesting • Although there were positives out of this mentoring, there were some challenges that still need to addressed to ensure the crop can be successfully and sustainably produced by smallholder farmers.

14. 14 CONCLUDING REMARKS • The ARC research indicates that appropriate cultivars with low THC can be grown under certain agronomic conditions in various parts of the country. • There is a potential to grow hemp as a commercial crop. • To achieve agricultural development, DAFF and provincial departments of agriculture will need to set up and support small holder farmer development through the cultivation, harvesting and processing of hemp for income generation. • There is potential to establish and develop small enterprises on various products of hemp. • The establishment of a successful value chain is dependent on legalization, which is the mandate of Department of Health, supported by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

15. 15 Comments or Questions? Re a Leboha!Siyabonga!Ria Livhuwa!Ha Khensa!Siyathokoza!Re a lebogaSiyabulela!Baie Dankie!Thank You