SA’s first cannabis campus: Welcome to Cheeba academy

It is estimated that South Africa’s cannabis industry could be worth R27 billion by 2023. 

And though this estimation may not seem realistic at present, the country’s first cannabis campus has come to the town of Vereeniging, and is a promising a move towards helping South Africa realise its full potential to take advantage of the cannabis industry. 

Cheeba Africa’s Cheeba Academy, promises a revolutionary way of learning about this multi-faceted plant, and how to make it a profitable investment for everyone. 

What is Cheeba Academy? 

Cheeba will be welcoming their first 15 students on Tuesday, made of an “eclectic mix” of 18 to 45-year-olds. 

The academy is being run by Cheeba Africa CEO Trenton Birch. 

Also Read: Here comes SA’s first dagga college!

A humble campus shadowed in the canopy of tall trees, with the occasional squirrel or mongoose, Birch described Cheeba Academy as a place with no distractions. 

Students live on site, with the campus able to house 190 of them. Every morning there is a 30-minute check-in, as well as meditation. 

Cheeba’s courses last three months, with a one month internship placement. Courses are also credited, having been endorsed by the University of Limpopo. 

The cannabidiol (CBD) courses are also register with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa. 

Courses range from growing cannabis to its medicinal effects, as well as an entrepreneurial curriculum. 

Tours are also arranged for students once a month to registered partner farms.

“We’re trying to create holistic learning,” Birch said, adding that Cheeba aims to move away from modern day linear education models. 

And Cheeba aims to stay ahead of the curve. 

“By 2025, the United Nations Development Council said that 50% of the skilled global population will have to be re-skilled.”

Birch emphasised creating “holistic” learning, and to realise the essence of cannabis as a medicinal plant, which fosters a community that brings people together. 

“I believe cannabis has the potential to be one of the triggers to make the world a better place. It’s medicinal, but also shifting our psychology.

“We want people to leave here with ethics.”

The staff at the Cheeba Cannabis Academy in Vereeniging. Opening for their first classes soon, Africas first dedicated Cannabis academy aims to deliver an all rounded education in all things cannabis with the aim to equip people with the knowledge needed as the Cannabis industry grows in South Africa and worldwide. Picture: Neil McCartney

The academy got its inspiration from Birch’s travels to the US and Spain. The US has been in the game for 20 years. During this time, Birch found a supplier in the US called Medical Marijuana 411, which is currently the largest online provider of cannabis medical education. 

Their medical marijuana content has been provided to Cheeba, who have altered this information to suit a more South African context. 

Also read: WHO declares dagga medicinal

Not a ‘stoner school’ 

Birch has emphasised the campus’s disciplined atmosphere. All students must have a 95% attendance rate, and even wear uniformed shifts. 

“We don’t want the perception that this is a stoner school. We are creating the foundation for the future of the industry.”

But Cheeba has its work cut out for it in terms of trying to break a number of “indoctrinated” stigmas and misconceptions.

A marijuana grower and dealer prepares his new harvest for sale due to the announced nationwide twenty-one day lockdown in South Africa amid worries that he won’t make any sales during that period at an undisclosed location on March 25, 2020.(Photo by Emmanuel Croset / AFP)

Cheeba Africa new business and industry liaison Lourie Campher explained the campus as “a place to freely talk about your passion for cannabis without being ostracised.”

Marijuana is grown on campus under a social club model with a cooperative collaboration with Grow Africa. But each plant is tracked, and each student has four plants to work off of. 

This, Campher explained, was to ensure that students did not use the campus facilities as a way to cultivate weed for their own use. The campus must also stay compliant with current legislation. 

The cannabis club involves students growing marijuana plants which go into the club. Students are paid for their service, and all proceeds go back into Cheeba to form part of future scholarships. 

There is also a scholarship with the Dagga Couple in memory of the late Julian Stobbs. 

The cannabis club’s outside area is also the only space on campus where students are allowed to smoke cannabis. 

“We’re trying to convey a sense of professionalism,” Birch said. 

Supporting the future of marijuana 

Birch said a passion for cannabis should be for everyone. As such, Cheeba is also in support of ‘illicit’ marijuana farmers in the Eastern Cape, who have been growing the plant for decades. 

“Cannabis is racialised and politicised. We have an industry here for the past 50 to 80 years, but the reason we have a legacy globally is because of Eastern Cape farmers who have been growing illegally under duress.

“We need methods that includes those people.”

Current legislation allows cannabis users to consume the plant in a private space. 

But other aspects of South African legislation is sadly lagging behind, something that needs to change quickly, especially with Asia and Mexico increasingly realising their potential to enter the market as well. 

Birch said exporting has major potential, and that South Africa is at a slight advantage with being able to grow “full cycle”. 

However, if South Africa does not enter the industry soon, we risk losing our “competitive edge”, Birch warned. 

Birch and Cheeba Africa co-ordinator Linda Siboto are optimistic that South Africa’s legislation will be taking significant steps to legalise and regulate the industry in the next year. 

“It will happen here, it’s only a matter of time. But we need to legalise right now. For consumers to be protected, and to help build job creation.” 

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