(Ecofin Agency) - Lesotho is now officially the first African country to legalize the cultivation of weed. This by providing a license to grow and process the plant to South African phytopharmaceutical firm, Verve Dynamics. The plants will be used for medical and research purposes.

In effect, the related agreement signed by Lesotho’s ministry of health and Verve Dynamics will enable the South African company to initially grow sativa strains of cannabis. However, in the long term, it plans to grow other strains.

The mountain kingdom which is landlocked in South Africa, according to data from 2007 released by the UN anti-drug office can supply weed to close to 40 million consumers daily in Africa. Indeed, the country gets a major part of its revenues from weed exports (70% of which are intracontinental).

Though most African countries are still reluctant to tap into the weed industry, Zambia is looking at the possibility to provide licenses to grow the plant for medical purposes. Malawi also is considering the option, but for an industrial use.

Fiacre E. Kakpo