WITH an endless stream of uses, the humble hemp plant is at the centre of a flourishing industry that is yet to be harnessed in South Africa.
From water filtration and soil purification to clean energy and textile production, the plant is an entrepreneurial goldmine. For Finschor Agro-vest Enterprises and Academy, hemp also offers a lifeline to local youth battling unemployment.
Glenwood resident and operations director, Farai Dziike, says the emerging enterprise is gearing up to open a hemp farm and academy to empower youth and build job opportunities. With three young entrepreneurs at the helm, it is already beginning to achieve this end. Zama Madonsela (24) is the CEO and acting financial director, working alongside managing director, Zanele Mavuso (24), and sustainable horticulturalist, Mthobisi Gumede (21).
Finschor Agro-vest Enterprises and Academy will be setting up a stall at The Cannabis Expo which runs in Durban from July 21–24.
“At the expo, we will be telling our story as a start-up company of young black South Africans. We are walking the journey to establish ourselves as a competent and fully managed hemp player,” said Dziike.
Hemp contains lower THC levels than cannabis, said Dzikke, who holds a PhD in materials chemistry.
“The hemp we are specialising in has a range of 0.03 – 0.07 % THC, so it is not classified as cannabis. Once harvested, the plant is pulverized to separate it into its different constituents. The leaves and flowers are used to make livestock feed. Oil is extracted from the seed to supply the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry. The residual material left after squeezing oil from the seed is also used to make stock feed, and the stalk is used to create charcoal,” said Dziike.
The plant is so diverse that it has the potential to overtake the sugar industry.
“In KZN, we have more than 21 800 sugar cane farms which supply the country’s sugar mills. We intend to introduce a hemp community in KZN. We hope to have close to 30 000 farms, creating employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled job seekers. You can imagine the impact it will have on the unemployment rate, poverty alleviation, economic growth and product production,” said Dziike.
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Job creation
According to Stats SA, South Africa’s youth continue to face disadvantages in the labour market. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 63.9% for those aged 15–24 and 42.1% for those aged 25–34 years.
For sustainable horticulture student, Mthobisi Gumede, Finschor Agro-vest Enterprises and Academy lifts the burden of unemployment from his shoulders.
“It’s a great opportunity for any young person of my age. This is something I wish everyone could have. With the employment rate being so low, it’s a huge privilege to have a job after I complete my qualification,” he said.
Having completed his theoretical studies in sustainable horticulture and landscaping, Gumede is currently completing his six-month practical study.
“Horticulture is the art of propagating or multiplying plants. There are a lot of ways to achieve this although the most common way is through clip cuttings,” he said.
One way to promote sustainable farming is through hydroponics, which improves the yield and size of the plant.
“There are different types of hydroponics. Some involve submerging a plant in a nutrient-rich solution, while other methods involve a coconut coir and drip irrigation system. With this combination, it is easier for plants to hold nutrients. By using the coir, we are saving soil, while the drip irrigation system prevents water wastage,” said Gumede.
Unbe-leaf-able environmental benefits
As climate change concerns continue to build globally, the environmental benefits of hemp have been widely researched. Dziike shares three lesser-known benefits of the humble hemp.
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1. Clean energy
Perhaps the most interesting part of the hemp plant is the stalk, which makes up most of the hemp biomass.
“There’s a process of distilling and compressing the stalk to form pellets which are then compressed to form charcoal. This charcoal is an alternative form of energy – it produces less carbon dioxide and it’s cost effective,” said Dziike.
2. Water filtration
Hemp stalks can also be used in waste-water purification, to absorb contaminants suspended in water.
“Instead of using heat in water-purification processes, water can be passed through a hemp fibre membrane. This is effective in cleaning and even recycling water,” said Dziike.
3. Soil purification
During the growing process, hemp also purifies soil.
“A lot of heavy contamination takes place in rivers and over the land. Hemp can be used as an environmental mediation plant. In former mining areas, hemp can be grown to remove heavy metal contaminants. Hemp is currently being used in Chernobyl where there were nuclear contaminants,” said Dziike.
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