Education

10 African Cannapreneurs You Should Know

Published

1 year ago

April 19, 2021

The cannabis industry includes countless companies that either support or are engaged in the research, development, distribution, and sale of medical and recreational marijuana. Africa is the new kid on the block with only 5 countries that changed some of their laws and regulations, now moving to cash in on the budding global cannabis market. Let’s take a look at what the motherland has done to raise its marijuana socks so far.

Verve Dynamics: South Africa/Lesotho

Cape Town based Verve Dynamics is an extraction company that integrates its expertise in the development and manufacturing of high-quality extractions, compounds and isolates, as well as nutritional supplements ingredients. The company holds a cannabis license in Lesotho which allows them to: cultivate, manufacture, supply, distribute, store, export and import cannabis under prohibited operations for medical purposes or scientific use in that country.

Invegrow: Malawi

A Malawian company, passionate about industrial hemp, while aiming to establish a new industry that will complement existing markets such as tobacco and other food crops in the country and African continent. Invegrow is also looking into trial and development of new technologies and other fibers, medicinal and food crops all in the benefit of their country and continent. Additionally, they partner with subject matter experts that focus on extracts, oils, food, construction material and cultivation seed; tapping into the limited industrial hemp market in the Southern hemisphere countries.

Medigrow Health: Lesotho

Medigrow Health, based in the Lesotho mountains, strives to lead in the emerging medical cannabis industry as a licensed cultivator and manufacturer of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis. Medigrow aims to produce medicinal cannabis and CBD oil that is best in class, effective, affordable, and contains no harmful effects to improve the quality of life for all people.

Bophelo Bioscience: Lesotho

Bophelo Bioscience grows cannabis strains that are both high in CBD and THC content. As the largest cannabis production in Lesotho, Bophelo offers cost-efficient production, especially due to its location growing and extracting both THC distillate and CBD isolate; providing a competitive advantage to all those invested and working alongside the company.

Hydro Herb Africa: South Africa

Looking to start your flower garden? Look no further than Hydro Herb Africa. Based in Johannesburg, the company is one of the most premium grower shops on the market. Using a door to door service makes it easy for you to bring hydroponics home at the click of a few orders. The company also offers a variety of services and supplier tips to tailor-make your growing experience.

Goodleaf: South Africa

Goodleaf is the first premium CBD brand to open its dispensary in the heart of Cape Town. It has now expanded its base to Johannesburg and an online store which specializes in creating alternative treatment products known to impact ailment such as: anxiety, pain and insomnia.

420 Café: South Africa

A cafe to openly puff and pass marijuana while listening to the best playlists and mingle with a tribe of bud lovers. A well known “secret” hangout spot, the 420 Café was one of the first to do it in Johannesburg by creating a place to safely try new strains and mingle in public spaces. A great cafe that won’t let you bring your own because all provided for with their extensive menu.

Cannabis Queen: South Africa

A woman-owned CBD hair and skincare brand, Cannabis Queen launched in May 2019Cannabis Queen launched in May 2019 and was one of the first CBD-infused hair and skincare companies launched by a woman in South Africa.The company’s raw materials are all locally and ethically sourced to create a vast selection of products that range from bath bombs, soaps to capsules and oils. Cannabis Queen operates through its online store and can be also found in many cannabis health shops throughout South Africa.

Zootly: South Africa

Zootly operates as your own personal cannabis connoisseur, and is known to provide it all with its wide variety of products from edibles, smoke apparatus, cultivation resources and more. An easy to navigate online store that delivers countrywide or on-site trendy store in Cape Town is accessible to anyone who is looking to expand their cannabis goods.

Marijuana Seeds SA: South Africa

Marijuana Seeds SA is an online seed company that stocks the finest marijuana seed strains available in the world directly from all walks of life reputable seed banks. Marijuana Seeds has a great variety of feminized and auto-flowering seeds, while making sure the products live up to great quality and standards making it easy for you to choose what you would like all from the comfort of your own home.

Honourable mention:

Cannabiz art: South Africa

The seeds have been planted and the future looks to be blooming with opportunity in Africa. Many organizations are making strides – being on the come up with what could be available next, be sure to be on the lookout.

By: Siphokazi Mlamla

Related Topics:420Cafe CannAAfrika CannabizArt Cannapreneurs Invegrow Lesotho malawi MarijuanaSeedsSA SouthAfrica VerveDynamics

Up Next

The History of 420

1 Comment

Robert Kelly

May 4, 2021 at 12:23 pm

Awesome is an understatement.
Having personally used Cannabis Queen’s skincare and haircare products I can see as well as feel the revitalising effect these products have on my hair and skin as well as my family’s ( this includes my 2 Yorkies ) and therefore can highly recommend them.

Education

The Landrace Effect: Africa as the Best Cannabis Purebred Strain Breeders

Published

3 weeks ago

April 25, 2022

Thabo Omari

Africa the continent famously known for her abundance of natural resources, such as diamonds, sugar, salt, gold, iron, cobalt, uranium, copper, bauxite, silver, petroleum and cocoa beans, but also woods and tropical fruits.

Not forgetting of course cannabis, a ton of it. Glorious, sublime, majestic cannabis. I’m not talking about the fields of gorgeous hemp, rich in CBD and natural oils. No no no, I, my dear friends, am talking about some of the best AAA grade stanky danky psychosomatic icky sticky furry sparkly Marijuana out there…

Yes, and I’ll say it, in the entire world.

The term Landrace is not a technical one, but it is however one I need to lay down the exact definition for, as this word forms the cornerstone of this blog.

“Definition of landrace cannabis strains (also called landraces or purebreds) have developed in its natural environment and has never been crossed with any other strain but inbred through many, many generations.

Most landrace genetics are therefore 100% Sativa or 100% Indica, although there are some exceptions”

I’ve decided to do a simple list for you as I know many of you may be stoned reading this, I know I am while writing this (I just hit a joint of some yummy though strangely floral Blue Cheese and it’s hit me directly in the side of the face).

As the equator runs slap bang straight through sub saharan Africa no one can argue that it makes for some of the most perfect weather for growing some serious bud. In fact Africa actually produces mostly uplifting sativa dominant strains making for lovely clear headed highs.

Africa’s landrace strains contain extremely high percentages of THC.

Right, going forward here is an informative straight to the point list of some of the BEST African landrace strains:

Durban Poison

Now I’m talking about a 100% sativa… Uplifting energizing and as clear as day is how I would describe the high you get off this earthy strain. Packing a pine punch in flavor with a complement of robust terpenes just to let you know that this tall bushy tree isn’t fucking around.

This is the perfect get up and go, the espresso of weed.

South African Kwazulu

This super strain hails from the Zulu Nation in Kwazulu Natal where it can be found growing freely on the Drakensberg slopes. With happy and euphoric after effects, and a sweet smell and taste, it makes for a lovely easy smoke.

This is another landrace sativa straight out of South Africa, the southernmost tip of Africa. Some have described this deeply satisfying chron as inspiring and motivational. For those frugal folk out there this strain is super long lasting so less smoking therefore less spending!

Malawi Gold

Traditionally grown outdoors this easy to grow, highly productive and extremely resilient strain hits hard to the brain but with an intriguing, consciously holistic high. While treating the body to a warm pleasant feeling the mind will be on a creative trek.

Known as one of the ‘c’ s in Malawis ‘three Cs’, this refers to their biggest exports namely ‘chambo’ which is fish, ‘chamba’ which is weed and ‘chombe’ which is tea. Hopefully one time in your life you will be able to smoke this musky spicy bud with hints of cinnamon and if you do expect complete mental clarity as yes I dare say it is yet another sativa out of Africa

Kilimanjaro

This vigorous growing, well branched Kenyan sativa growing freely on the slopes of kilimanjaro boasts 18% THC which is seriously high for Marijuana flowers. Bursting with lemony citrus goodness, this trippy magic smoke will change your mood instantly for the better, that’s for sure.

This beautiful dagga is nick named the ‘Elephant Stomper’ and is utilized for its hyper effects. Many stoners report feeling excited, cerebral and focused.

One can only look back and reflect on how stunning and rich in resources the African continent is bursting with vibrancy and passion. No wonder the weed it produces shows such complexity.

Also explains why many travelers and ganja obsessed enthusiasts hunt for just the right phenotypes, trying to recreate what nature has done so perfectly.

Cannabis

What’s the deal with 420?

Published

4 weeks ago

April 22, 2022

CA Staff

April 20th is an annual holiday for weed smokers around the world. From Cali to Amsterdam, DC to South Africa and everywhere in between, weed smokers have anointed this day as a celebration of cannabis culture.

But how did 420 start?

Word is that in 1971 5 friends from San Rafael High in California, Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich — chose to get together at 4:20 p.m. because by that time, extracurricular activities were usually over. The friends used to blaze up at the Louis Pasteur statute on the grounds of their school engaging in an activity that at the time was strictly illegal, so they started to use “420” as code for weed.

Legend has it that one member of the group, Reddix, got a job working with Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. Grateful Dead fans began to spread the word of the ritual by distributing flyers inviting people to smoke “420” on April 20 at 4:20 p.m. The magazine High Times printed a copy of the flyer and from there, it blew up around the world!

Education

The History of 420

Published

1 year ago

April 19, 2021

CA Staff

The History of 420

It all began in 1971, in San Rafael high school in Northern California. A group of five high school students known as the “Waldos” namely; “Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz and Mark Gravich” decided to meet every day at 4:20pm next to the Louis Pasteur statue behind the wall on the school grounds after their extra mural activities. The main reason for their meeting was to embark on a grail quest to find an abandoned cannabis crop, after the grower had left a map.

Initially the Waldos referred to their rendezvous plan as the “420 Louis” but, after a few failed expedition plans they then shortened it to 4:20, which a lot of teens started using as a secret code to get together and smoke cannabis. The 420 movement was later publicized by Steve Hager, the editor of a popular cannabis magazine “High Times” after they published a feature on a “420 smoking and a 4/20 holiday” in 1991 and later made the connection to the Waldos in 1998. This was one of the reasons why The High Times eventually bought the” 420.com” domain name.

Nowadays the 420 movement has conceived and given birth to many events, activism/protest groups and concerts across world lobbying for the legalization of cannabis in various states and countries across the world. April 20th, has become the international counter culture holiday as people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. There are many concerts such as “HempFest”; which takes place in Seattle, Washington and around the world there are other special events such as the 4/20 Picnic in Melbourne, Australia. There have also been a lot of pro-cannabis protests across many countries such as: England, New Zealand, Slovenia, Northern Cyprus and Canada.

The 420 phenomenon was eventually given some legislative recognition in 2003 when “California Senate Bill 420” was introduced to regulate medical marijuana use, in deliberate reference to the cannabis culture. In 2010, there was also another bill in Guam, which failed to launch; known as the “Bill 420”. The 420 movement has also been celebrated within youth college institutions and also in the film, arts and media spaces such as the pawn shop scene in Pulp Fiction whereby all the clocks are set at 420. In 2014, the Facebook group page of the 420 Magazine reached more 1.1 million likes. There was also a world renowned musical band by the name of the “Grateful Dead” which made the hippie and cannabis celebratory life soundtrack vibes and was very much instrumental sound in the early 70’s when the Waldos started the 420 movement.

Over the last few decades there have been many theories as to what the 420 movement was innately all about and in essence, what the source and inspiration behind its inception was all about. Some people formulated a few farfetched speculations such as: “420” was a police dispatch code in California in the early 70’s for “marijuana smoking in process; others think that there are 420 active chemical ingredients in marijuana; still others even went as far as hypothesizing that “420 has something to do with Hitler’s birthday, which is April 20th”.

To date, the 420 movement continues to be celebrated all over the world, by all races, ethnic groups, cultures and creeds. It has become the definitive flag of unity for all the cannabis enthusiasts, who have since found sentimental and meaningful ways to celebrate April 20, known as the International Cannabis Holiday. The 420 code has also been integrated into the day to day communication context of both the young and the old, linguistically speaking. This is definitely one monumental revolution that will coexist with mankind on this earth, for as long both marijuana and clocks remain part of our lives.

My personal contribution to this revolution would be in lobbying for legalization of cannabis for all personal, medicinal and commercial purposes, so that we can leave this world better than we found it. Until then, I will continue taking my 4:20 breaks during my long and stressful days, to celebrate the cannabis culture; and to reflect on its amazing benefits for mankind. Should we bump into each other in the concrete jungle corridors anywhere in the world, please make sure you tell me or ask me where the 420 gathering shall be taking place on that day. Let love and peace reign.

#DopeisDope

By: Lennox Mokwena