The CSIR has supported 23 SMMEs with the development of high-quality, regulatory-compliant, safe, efficacious and affordable cannabis products for local and international markets.  

South Africa’s cabinet decided in July 2019 that the country needs a national strategy to commercialise cannabis to increase economic growth, create jobs and alleviate poverty. The resulting National Cannabis Master Plan highlights that the cannabis sector has huge potential for the development of SMMEs, attracting domestic and foreign investment and adding value in the processing and manufacturing of products for local and export markets. It highlights the potential for economic diversification, thus increasing economic growth, creating jobs and alleviating poverty. 

The CSIR’s cannabis platform is supported by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, and the Department of Small Business Development. 

The SMMEs met all the requirements for CSIR product-development support and progressed to the stage of having commercially ready cannabis-infused products. Market samples handed over to the enterprises were produced on a commercial scale in facilities approved for good manufacturing practices, ready to be traded in formal markets. 

[This article is featured in the "Shoulder to shoulder with SMMEs" edition of ScienceScope] 

Outlining the process, Phatheka Ndzotoyi, acting research group leader of agroprocessing at the CSIR, says, “The CSIR hosted sessions with the enterprises on regulations in the cannabis sector, compliance, quality and safety testing requirements, prototype development and branding/artwork regulations for nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and herbal remedies.”  

“These sessions included a tour of the CSIR’s agroprocessing facilities, where the enterprises observed the cannabis extraction process using the supercritical carbon dioxide equipment at the pilot plant and prototype development in our laboratories,” she says. 

These engagements culminated in the CSIR assisting SMMEs to develop over 40 cannabidiol (CBD)-infused and cannabis-based prototypes, including nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals and herbal remedies. CBD-containing products such as gummies, oil drops, sodas, water, hair oils, pain relief creams, shower gel, face wash and face oil have been produced on a commercial scale and transferred to the relevant SMMEs across South Africa, representing eight of the country’s nine provinces, to support their commercialisation endeavours. 

“The next phase of this project is to engage the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition to provide commercialisation support to these enterprises. This includes scaling up the production of all the products developed by the CSIR and introducing the products via platforms such as expos and trade shows,” says Ndzotoyi.  

Eleven rural communities across South Africa are set to benefit from phase two of this initiative in the 2024/25 fiscal year. The CSIR has received funding support from DSI to integrate rural communities into formal cannabis value chains.  

Cannabis: Hemp and dagga 

The scope of South Africa’s National Cannabis Master Plan includes both hemp and dagga, which are two closely related plant varieties that belong to the cannabis genus.  

The cannabis plant contains at least 70 unique compounds known as phytocannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is a cannabinoid that produces a psychoactive effect and also has medicinal properties, while CBD is predominantly associated with medicinal properties. Hemp plants contain lower levels of THC. 

While medicinal cannabis is grown under protection for optimum results, hemp for industrial use is generally suitable for open-field production.